Play Dates
by SarahCullen17
Summary: Bella is a single mother of a five-year-old son, Emerson. Edward is a single father of a five-year-old daughter, Emmy. They've given up on finding love for a very long time until their children become playground buddies. Nominated for a TwiFiction Award!
1. Meeting

**This is going to be a short multi-chapter fic. This is not in any way related to _Battle Scars_. If you're one of my BS-ers and you're looking for the sequel, it will be called _Aftershocks _and will be posted by Monday. This is an entirely independent fic.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bella, Edward, or any other characters created by Stephenie Meyer. However, Emerson and Emmy are mine.

* * *

**Chapter One: "Meeting" Bella's POV

"Mommy! Mommy! Mommy!" I heard my favorite voice shout as my bed started to bounce. I opened one sleepy eye to see my main man jumping on the foot of my bed.

"Whoa, Emerson!" I exclaimed just as my five-year-old son dove right on top of me. I laughed as I wrapped my arms around him, snuggling him to me. "Good morning, baby. You are up _really_ early, handsome."

He kissed my cheek. "It's Saturday," he stated.

I nodded. "It is." _I'm well-aware of it...why do kids have to wait for their teenage years to start sleeping in?_

"So are we going to the playground?" he asked hopefully.

I looked at my curtained window. Sunshine. "Yeah, sweetie. Let Mommy get up and get dressed."

"Okay!" He rolled out of bed and ran out of my bedroom.

I stretched and yawned before I got up. I was young, but I had long ago abandoned the boundless energy that comes with youth. I dozed a little as I took a shower. After the water ran cold, I knew I had to get out and go take care of my main man. I threw my hair up into a ponytail and put on jeans and a sweater before I walked into the kitchen. "Emerson!" I called. "What's for breakfast?"

"Waffles!" he shouted as he ran into the kitchen.

"Inside voice," I scolded lightly before smiling at him. "And waffles sound great. Are you going to wear your Superman pajamas to the playground?"

His brown eyes widened. "Can I?" he asked excitedly.

I laughed. "I don't think so, Clark Kent. Why don't you put on some real clothes while I make your waffles? It's cold outside, so wear jeans and a sweatshirt, honey."

After breakfast, we prepared to get into the car and go. I packed a tote bag including a thick novel and bottle of water for me, and a few juice boxes for Emerson. He was already at the door, waiting on me impatiently.

I stooped to his level and zipped his coat up before giving him a kiss. "Where's your hat?"

He rolled his eyes. "_Mom…_"

"I can't afford for you to get sick," I told him. "Go find your hat and your gloves in your room and then we can go to the playground."

I buttoned my own coat as he returned with his Batman knit cap and gloves. "Thank you," I said gratefully as I helped him put them on.

"Can we go_ now?"_

"Absolutely, hun. Let's roll."

He went straight to the passenger's seat of my old Toyota Corolla. "Not the front seat," I reminded him.

"Aw, Mom, why not?"

"Because your car seat is in the back." I walked around and gently lifted him into the child seat, buckling him in. "Where's Buzz Lightyear?"

Emerson shrugged. "I didn't want to bring him today. I brought my dump truck." He held it up and made a sound like an engine.

"Okay," I said quietly, closing the door and going to the driver's seat. Emerson had an avid interest in cars, trucks, and any other form of transportation. Most mothers wouldn't be bothered by this, but it brought back painful memories. Emerson had most definitely inherited his father's interest in mechanics...

As I drove to our favorite park, I lamented once again on my life. I was a twenty-one-year-old with a five-year-old. If you do the math correctly, you'll figure out that I was only sixteen when I had Emerson. It was the cliché teenage pregnancy story-I started dating Jacob Black, we had sex, I got pregnant, and he refused to have anything to do with me. I had always imagined that if I got pregnant in high school, I would immediately abort the baby.

But Emerson was automatically precious to me-as soon as I saw the little pink plus sign on my pregnancy test. I think it was because I had never had a hands-on mother, and maybe I wanted to be one…anyway, I'm not getting into the psychology of it. All I know is that I knew I couldn't give my baby up.

And it was the best decision of my life. My father helped me out so much that I named my son after him-Charlie Emerson. He helped me while I got a two-year associate's degree at a community college, and then he helped me find a job in Seattle...along with a good apartment and a reliable car. Charlie helped me become a good mother who could provide for her son, even though a husband wasn't in the picture. I still had to live frugally, clipping coupons and buying generic brands. Emerson didn't get a lot of new toys, but he was clean, well-fed, healthy, and happy. And truly, that was all that mattered in my world.

Emerson and I were heavily reliant on each other. He was definitely the apple of my eye, and he loved his Mommy a lot. Though I was entirely too young to have a child, I knew I was a good mother. That was obvious just by the way he kissed and hugged me everyday.

I drove to the park and helped him out of the car, holding his hand as we walked to the playground. Once we got to the edge of the gravel, he took off running toward the swings. "Emerson!" I called. "Be careful!"

I walked to my normal bench, surprised to see someone sitting on the left side of it. As I got closer, I realized that this someone was actually a really gorgeous man. He had untidy bronze  
hair, a beautiful chiseled face, and long fingers that were typing away on a laptop. His eyebrows were knit together in concentration.

I tried to quietly sit on the opposite side of the bench without disturbing him. I loved this bench; it was under a big tree and gave me a perfect view of the entire playground so I could keep an eye on Emerson.

My son waved to me from the top of the slide. I smiled and waved back as I sat down with my book. It was my tattered copy of _Wuthering Heights-_one of my favorites. It never got old.

I started reading, my eyes frequently looking up to check on Emerson, and occasionally looking to the side to catch a glimpse of the handsome stranger next to me. I noticed as I kept scanning the playground that Emerson was playing with the little girl again. We came here as often as my job and the weather would allow, and I had seen this little girl quite a few times. _What did Emerson said her name was? Emma?_

She was a beautiful little girl, with reddish curly hair and fair skin. There was always a number of children that Emerson played with, but she always stuck out to me because he played with her a_ lot_. I wondered if it was a silly playground crush.

Grinning at my handsome little charmer, I returned to my book. It wasn't much later that I was interrupted by Emerson.

"Mommy," he said. "Can I have my juice?"

"Sure." I pulled out one juice box.

"Can I have two?" he asked. "I'm, um, thirsty."

I looked at him quizzically, but shrugged. "Um, okay. You do know that if you waste them, we're not buying more," I verified.

"I know, Mommy. I'll drink them." He gave me a reassuring smile before taking the two juice boxes and running to the playground. I shrugged it off and went back to my book, but I was interrupted again.

"Excuse me," the beautiful man next to me said. "Is that your son? With the black hair?"

I looked up in horror, not sure what to expect. Emerson bleeding or something…but my son was fine. He was with the Emma girl again.

"Yes," I said, turning to look at the man. "Why?"

He gave me a heartbreakingly adorable crooked smile. "He just gave a juice box to my daughter."

I squinted my eyes to focus, and I could see Emerson and the little girl drinking from the bendy straws.

"Oh," I said. "I didn't know he would share. Is that alright? Is she allergic or something?" The mother in me started freaking out, and then the woman in me wondered how in the world this young man could have a five-year-old. He couldn't be older than me...though I definitely understood that it could happen.

He laughed. "It's fine. I'm just nervous that it's a romantic gesture. You know how protective daddies are. I'm Edward Cullen, by the way." He offered me his hand to shake.

I laughed and shook his hand happily. "I'm Bella Swan. And I can assure you that Emerson has only the best intentions in mind. He's been raised to respect women."

Edward grinned. "I'm sure. He's a beautiful child, by the way. He looks a lot like you."

"More like his father, I think..." I mused. Emerson had clearly Native American features. "But thank you. I can see the resemblance in your lovely daughter as well."

"Thank you," he beamed. "Emmy is my pride and joy."

Emmy-that was it. "I can tell," I nodded. He literally spoke of her as if she were his religion.

"Emerson as in Ralph Waldo Emerson?" he asked.

I blushed and nodded. "Yes. I'm a literature geek, and I went through a transcendental phase in high school."

He chuckled. "_Emmy_ is actually short for _Emily_."

"As in Emily Dickinson?" I asked half-teasingly.

He nodded and laughed. "Yes. I'm a literature geek as well."

"I thought I was the only one to name my child after my favorite writer," I smiled at him. "It actually came down between Emerson and Langston. As in Langston-"

"Hughes," Edward filled in for me. "Emmy's middle name is Juliet, for my love of Shakespeare."

"That's hilarious," I said. "I never thought I'd have so much in common with a man on a park bench. I hope your wife is as well-read as you are, so she approves of the namesake."

He shook his head. "No wife. Emmy's mother left the picture a very long time ago. She went to the grocery store in my car with my wallet and left the baby with me. I never saw her, my car, or my wallet again." He stopped talking and turned to look at Emmy adoringly. "I have to say I got the better end of the deal, though."

"I think you did, too. I'm still sorry, though," I said.

He shrugged. "It's fine. Emmy and I are doing just fine without Tanya. You're not wearing a ring..." he observed.  
_  
Did he look to check if I was single?_ I wondered, flattered. "Yeah," I murmured. "Emerson's father is out of the picture as well. And I have to say I respect you for staying in Emmy's life. Every child should have a caring father."

He sighed. "Thank you, Bella. Every child should have a caring mother, though. Single parenting isn't easy."

"Especially when you're young," I agreed quietly, turning my eyes to Emerson. He and Emmy were on the swings.

"You can say that again," Edward said softly.

He grew quiet, so I turned my attention back to my book.

Some amount of time later, I heard a sickening thud and then a very familiar cry. Panicking, I looked up to see my baby lying on the ground in front of the swing-set.

"Oh, God," I murmured, immediately dropping my book and running to him. "What's wrong, baby?"

"He jumped off the swing," Emmy informed me. "Is he gonna be okay?"

"Shh, sweetie," I soothed my son, rolling him over. "Let Mommy see."

He rolled up his pants leg, revealing a bloody scrape. My stomach rolled, but five years of being a mother kept me from passing out. "Come on, baby," I told him, picking him up. He was so heavy…

I was surprised to see Edward right behind me. "Is he alright?" the man asked me.

I nodded. "Just a skinned knee. We'll have to go home to get a Band-Aid."

"I have plenty of Band-Aids," he said. "Bring him to the bench."

I complied and sat Emerson on the bench while Edward pulled out a first-aid kit. "Overprotective?" I asked with a raised eyebrow as I started to wipe the blood up with a tissue.

Edward only grinned.

"You're okay, honey," I told Emerson, who was still sniffling. My hands stoked his hair lovingly and I kissed the crown of his head. "If you'll be a big boy about it and go play with Emmy some more, we'll go get ice cream later." _But only because I have a coupon for a free kiddie scoop…_

He nodded and wiped his tears on his sleeve.

Edward studied me as I expertly stopped the bleeding, applied just a little Neosporin at a time so it wouldn't burn, and then placed the dinosaur Band-Aid over the scrape. Emerson was thrilled about the Band-Aid; his favorite movie was _The Land Before Time._

"It looks like Ducky," he observed.

"Yeah!" Emmy exclaimed. "I have Sarah on my elbow." She showed us her triceratops Band-Aid.

"Oh, no," I said dramatically to Edward. "You're a _Land Before Time_ parent, too?"

Edward nodded. "Yeah, Emmy has a thing for dinosaurs. I guess it's better for me than princesses."

"You okay, little man?" I asked Emerson. "Do you want to play some more?"

He nodded, sniffling.

"Okay," I said, kissing his forehead. "Be careful, baby. You know you're just as clumsy as I am."

"Okay, Mommy. Thank you, Mr. Emmy's Dad."

I laughed. "This is Mr. Cullen," I told my son.

"Edward," my new acquaintance corrected me, giving me a dazzling smile.

* * *

"Aunt Rosalie!" Emerson shouted as he ran and jumped into my best friend's arms.

"Hi, sweetie," Rose said, kissing his cheek. "How are you?"

"Good. Mommy took me to the playground and I skinned my knee, but Mommy's new friend Edward gave me a dinosaur Band-Aid." He pointed to his knee.

"Mommy's friend?" Rosalie asked him, raising her eyebrows at me.

"Yeah," he said. "Aunt Rosalie, who is _he_?" Emerson pointed to a big burly man standing by her.

"This is my friend Emmett," Rosalie replied. "Emmett, this is my _handsome_ _boyfriend_ Emerson."

"What's up, kiddo?" Emmett asked him, offering a fist bump. "I've heard a lot about you."

Emerson crossed his arms and glared at Emmett.

"Okay, Emerson," I laughed nervously, blushing. "Jealousy isn't attractive. Hi, Emmett. I'm Bella."

"It's very nice to finally meet you," he said. "I've heard a lot about you as well."

"All good, I hope."

"Emmett," Rosalie beamed at him. "Can you get us a table? I need to go powder my nose." She yanked on my arm.

"Come with us, Emerson," I told my son.

"Aw, Mom, I always have to go to the girls' room," he complained.

"I'll hang out with him," Emmett volunteered.

I hesitated, but Rosalie said it was a great idea, so I allowed it. Rosalie considered Emerson to be her own son, so she wouldn't leave him with just _anyone_.

As soon as we were behind the bathroom door, Rosalie commanded me, "Spill."

"About what?" I asked incredulously.

"Your friend Edward, of course."

I snorted. "Rose. Emerson has a friend on the playground named Emmy. I happened to sit at the same park bench as her father, and he gave me a Band-Aid for Emerson."

Rosalie studied me through slanted eyes. "No. There's more."

"Ugh, fine. We talked. He's a single dad, so we talked about how hard that is."

"Did he make any indication that he wants to change his status as a single dad?"

"Nope."

"Come on, Bella. Throw me a bone. Is he hot?"

I blushed.

Her blue eyes widened. "I knew it! I bet he's gorgeous."

"I don't see how that's relevant," I replied curtly. "But by the way, Emmett is _really_ hot and he seems to be a great guy."

She smiled happily. "I know, right? I think he may be the one."

"Rose, you've been dating him for like, three weeks!"

She shrugged. "I just have a feeling. Like I have a feeling about Edward."

I rolled my eyes. "We need to go. You might lose _both_ of your boyfriends if we don't hurry back."

* * *

_This will just be a cute romance. It won't be very long, but I would love it if you left me a review and let me know what you thought. The next chapter should be posted pretty soon._

_Happy Thanksgiving!_


	2. Ice Cream

**I guess I should note that this was inspired by the movie "One Fine Day" with George Clooney and Michelle Pfeiffer. It's a remarkably cute movie. You should go rent it, unless your town has been impacted by the evil Redbox machine and all of the movie rental places have been closed down.

* * *

Chapter Two: "Ice Cream" Bella's POV**

Emerson and I went back to the playground on Sunday, but much to our dismays, Edward and Emmy weren't there. I didn't know why I was so disappointed. It just felt nice to talk to another young single parent, I guess. Plus he was a literature nerd like me. I honestly thought I was the only one who would name their kid after a writer.

After Sunday, of course, was Monday. I dropped Emerson off at kindergarten and went to work. I worked as a dental assistant. I didn't make a ton of money and I didn't have the most interesting job ever, but it put food on the table and the health insurance was great.

My job wasn't extremely demanding or intricate. I mostly sterilized equipment and sucked saliva out of somebody's mouth. Of course it gives you plenty of time for your mind to wander. My mind_ did_ wander, and it wandered straight to Edward. I don't know why I thought about him so much. He was gorgeous, of course, but it was something more. I could feel a crush forming.

I got out of the dental office as quickly as I could, which was at five. I hated the fact that Emerson had to go to Rosalie's house every afternoon, but I was so grateful for my best friend.

I swung by her house and let myself in. "Rose? Emerson?" I called.

"In the living room!" was Rosalie's reply.

I walked in to see Rosalie watching some talk show while Emerson and Emmett sat in the floor, building a tower out of Legos. "Where did you get the Legos?" I asked my son.

"Emmett bought them for me," he replied.

"Oh," I said, surprised. "Emmett, you didn't have to do that."

"It's no problem, Bella," Emmett replied. Over Emerson's head, he mouthed, "I'm sucking up."

I laughed. "Did you thank Emmett, baby?"

"He did," Emmett nodded. "And I told him he was very welcome."

"Thank you, Emmett. Emerson, we have to go, sweetie."

"Aw, Mom, why?"

"Because we have to run to Wal-Mart. Come on."

"Okay!" he squealed in joy. For some reason, my kid loved Wal-Mart.

"Kiss your Aunt Rosalie," I told him.

"Come here, boyfriend," Rose laughed, hugging and kissing him.

Emerson glared at Emmett. "You may buy really cool toys, but Aunt Rosalie is _mine_."

"Emerson!" I exclaimed, my cheeks flaming. "You know better than to be rude like that!"

Emmett chortled. "I love some healthy competition."

Emmett really was such a great guy. I whispered this to Rosalie right before we left, and she nodded smugly. "I know."

* * *

"Mommy, why do we have to get the ugly white boxes of cereal? Aunt Rosalie always has cool boxes with cartoons on them."

I sighed. "Because we are pinching pennies," I told him.

"Pinching pennies?" His eyebrows furrowed. "That makes no sense. You can't pinch a penny. They can't feel anything!"

I laughed. "I mean we're trying to save money. If we eat cheaper cereal, you can have more Christmas presents." I ducked and kissed his black hair.

"Ohhh," he said. "I see. Where are you taking me next?"

Emerson was sitting in the child's seat in the shopping cart. He would occasionally make engine noises and often begged me to speed up.

"Umm," I said, glancing at my list. "The laundry supplies aisle."

Once I was there, I started the mental battle that always waged in the laundry aisle. I was a sucker for Tide with Febreeze-that had been the laundry soap I used when I lived with Charlie. But it was expensive, so I went for the cheaper brand that just didn't smell as good. I often inhaled deeply as I passed the Tide, just to relish the delicious scent. I know, I'm a freak.

Suddenly I heard a familiar voice. "Whoa, Emmy, slow down!"

Edward Cullen rounded the corner, turning onto the laundry aisle while his daughter ran in front of his shopping cart. She stopped immediately when she saw us.

"Hey, Emerson!" she exclaimed.

"Hey, Emmy! Mommy, can I get out of the buggy?"

I picked him up and sat him on his feet on the floor. "Hey, stranger," I grinned at Edward. "I take it you got paid today, too?"

He laughed and ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah. That's funny-most people don't get paid on Monday. How are you, Bella?"

I'm _stunned now that I've noticed your emerald eyes._ "I'm as a good as I can be when I'm buying laundry soap," I joked.

He chuckled. "Yeah, I have to pick up some fabric softener."

"Fabric softener? How very manly of you." Truthfully, I was impressed. Most men didn't bother with this very important part of the laundry cycle.

He grinned that crooked grin. "Oh, hush. I'm both Dad and Mom, so I figured I would do it right." He winked at me.

I glanced down to make sure Emerson was still there. He was talking animatedly to Emmy about something, making noises of explosions to highlight his description. "Good for you," I said to Edward. "Fabric softener is a vital staple of any good mother's housework."

"Yeah, yeah. Is that a screwdriver I spy in your cart? Is someone playing Daddy, too?"

I blushed. "I have to repair...something."

"Mommy broke the smoke detector," Emerson said loudly.

"Emerson," I hissed, but Edward just laughed.

"How did your mommy manage that?" he asked my son.

"She hit it with the broom," Emerson replied.

Edward raised an eyebrow at me, making my whole body flush. "Um," I stammered. "One of my candles tipped over and caught one of my books on fire. The smoke detector went off, and I tried to wave the broom over it to make it quit beeping, but I accidentally hit it."

Edward chuckled. "_That_ is a good story. But I'm sad about your book. What book was it?"

"_The Scarlet Letter_."

Edward crinkled his nose up. "That book _should_ burn."

I laughed ruefully. "It's amazing how much I can identify with it."

He hesitated before shrugging, allowing that. "I suppose you're right. Hmm, it looks like they're out of my fabric softener."

"What kind do you usually use?"

"Tide with Febreeze. Lavender and vanilla scented."

_Oh god, help me._

"I wish I could afford that," I replied wistfully. "But I use Equate. It works just as well. It doesn't have the same delicious scent, though."

"Sounds good." He took the Equate off the shelf and dropped it in his grocery cart. Hey, Emmy? We have to go buy you..." He scanned his list. "Green tights and white Mary Jane shoes? How am I supposed to know what that means?"

"I have to have them for the play my class is putting on," Emmy informed her father. "I'm a flower fairy."

"Do you go to Central Elementary?" I asked in surprise.

Edward nodded. "Yes. Are you a Central parent too?"

"Yes! Emerson is in Mrs. Milstead's class. He's a frog in the play, but my friend Rose is putting together the costume. I'm not good with the creative stuff."

"Emmy is in Mrs. Tribble's class." Edward sighed and ran a hand through his already-messy hair. "Emmy, my love, I think I'm going to have to recruit your Grandma or your Aunt Alice for this one."

"I can help," I volunteered. "I know a little something about tights and Mary Janes."

"Really?" Edward asked, surprised. "That would be...so appreciated."

I giggled. "It's no problem. I don't know if you'll be able to find white Mary Janes at Wal-Mart, though."

"Umm, my sister is a bit of a fashionista. Let me call her and make sure she hasn't already bought Emmy white Mary Janes...whatever those are." He pulled out a cell phone and started dialing.

"No problem," I said. "We'll go look at tights now. Hey, Emerson and Emmy? Time to hit up another aisle."

Not even acknowledging me, they followed me and Edward to the little girls' underwear section. I was quite surprised to find that they had green tights.

"Do you know what size you usually wear?" I asked Emmy.

She shrugged. "Whatever size Aunt Alice and Grandma buy me."

I chuckled and started to think. She was a couple of inches shorter than Emerson. "Come here, Emmy," I said. I picked her up and realized she was lighter than Emerson. Edward watched me with a raised eyebrow, but he didn't look uncomfortable with my handling of his daughter.

"Alright, I think I know what size to get you," I said, putting her down.

I quickly found her size and handed the little cardboard packet to Edward, who was putting his phone away.

"That was fast," he said, dropping the tights into his grocery cart.

I shrugged. "She was easy to size. What about the Mary Janes?"

"My sister says she doesn't have any. Could you help me? I don't even know what Mary Janes are."

I laughed. "No problem, Edward."

We all trekked to the shoe department, but there were no white Mary Janes. I suggested the Payless down the street, and Edward said that was a good idea-as long as I came with them to help I agreed, and we all walked to Payless after buying and loading our groceries into our cars.

"Here are some!" I announced as I found a pair of white patent Mary Janes. Edward found her size and slipped it onto her foot.

My heart melted as I watched Edward with his little girl. He was making her walk the aisle up and down with the Mary Janes on, asking her if they were comfortable, if they slid on her heels. He bent down to make sure they weren't too tight on her toes. When he decided that they were perfect, he kissed her cheek and she hugged him. I realized that they looked exactly alike-bronze hair, ivory skin, green eyes, and high cheekbones. Whoever her mother-Tanya, wasn't it?-was, she had no interference in Emmy's genetics.

My admiration was interrupted when Emerson started tugging on my shirt. "Mommy," he was saying. "Mommy, your phone is ringing."

I realized he had my cell phone in his hands. "Oh, thank you, baby," I told him, taking the phone from him. My dad was calling. Answering, I said, "Hey, Dad."

"Hey, Bells! I haven't heard from you in a while. How are you?"

"Oh, I'm great," I replied. "I've just been busy. I've been meaning to swing by Forks for a weekend."

"That would be great!" Charlie exclaimed. "I haven't seen my grandson in forever."

I giggled. "Dad, it's been three weeks."

"Well, it feels like longer. He's growing up right before your eyes and I'm not getting to see as much."

I laughed again at his grumbling. "I know, Dad. Don't remind me. Emerson has a school play on Friday. Do you want to come?"

"Yeah, I'd love to. It sucks that I missed all of that with you."

"I know," I sighed. My mom Renee had raised me in Phoenix, Arizona with almost no influence by Charlie. But as soon as I got pregnant, she sent me to live with Dad. "At least you get a do-over. You can spend Friday night at my place. Maybe the whole weekend."

"Sounds good. I gotta go; Sue is coming over."

"Say hi to your girlfriend for me," I teased him, earning one of his signature _hmmph_s. "Okay, Dad. 'Bye. I love you."

"Love you, too, Bells. Tell Emerson I love him."

"Will do." I clicked the end call button. "Emerson, that was Grandpa. He says he loves you and he'll be there for your school play."

"I love my grandpa," Emmy piped up. "And my grandma."

Edward beamed down at his daughter. "My parents spoil Emmy because she's the first grandchild," he explained to me.

"You're lucky to have such loving grandparents," I said to the adorable little girl.

"We're both lucky to have them," Edward agreed. "Bella, Emmy and I were wondering if you and Emerson would be interested in an ice cream cone? My treat, since you helped us so kindly."

I smiled at him. "Emerson and I would love that. You don't have to pay, though. I know how difficult…_things_…can be."

He shook his head. "I owe you, big time. There's a little ice cream parlor further down in the shopping center. Shall we go after I buy these?" He immediately glanced at the price tag and breathed a sigh of relief. Everything was on sale.

I giggled. "Okay, but you'll have to let me have both of you over for dinner one night. And maybe a viewing of _The Land Before Time_?"

Emmy and Emerson immediately began jumping up and down. "Please, Mommy, please?" Emerson begged.

"Sometime soon," I promised him, ruffling his soft hair. He was probably due for a haircut soon…

"First we're getting ice cream," Edward told them. "Come on, Ems."

Edward paid for the shoes, and we walked outside to the sidewalk. Emerson and Emmy were walking in front of us, still talking.

"They're awfully verbose," Edward observed.

I nodded. "Emerson can talk your ear off, I'm afraid. He inherited that from his father."

"Emmy can, too, but she got it from my sister and mother. I guess they're kindred spirits."

I nodded, suddenly aware of the tiny distance between me and Edward. Our arms were brushing as we walked. "It's good to see Emerson with a friend," I admitted quietly. "Some of the other mothers are pretty judgmental."

"No, I completely understand," he assured me. "I'm only twenty-two, and the other parents aren't exactly...kind. Emmy hasn't been invited to so many parties," he added in a whisper.

So I finally knew his age—one year older than me. He was probably seventeen when Emmy came along. I couldn't believe that such a young boy had so completely fallen in love with his little girl. "Yeah," I mumbled. "Same for Emerson."

We were at the ice cream parlor by then, so Edward opened the door for me and we stepped inside. Edward bought everyone ice cream, which prompted Emerson to give him a giant hug. That made Edward and me both chuckle, but Edward hugged him back bear-style.

"Is that good?" Edward asked me as we sat at a table outside. We didn't want to waste the rare Seattle sunshine. Emmy and Emerson were at their own table, still talking.

I licked at my cinnamon ice cream cone. "It's delicious," I said. "How is your candied apple sundae?"

"Amazing. Do you want to sample?" He scooped up a messy bite of sundae on his spoon and held it out to me.

"Um, sure," I said, leaning over to take the bite. It really was good. "That's great. Do you want to try mine?"

I couldn't help but smile as Edward tentatively took a lick off my ice cream. He made a cute little purring noise before saying, "You're right. That is great. I'll have to take you here again so I can get that flavor."

I chuckled nervously, blushing a little. "Can you not come here without me?"

He gave me the most adorable crooked smile I had ever seen. "I can...but you make it a lot better."

I grinned at him, flattered. "Well, thanks."

He took another bite of his sundae. "So what do you do for a living?"

"I'm a dental assistant at Gerandy Dental Clinic," I replied, my cheeks still flaming red. I wasn't exactly crazy about my job. "What about you?"

"I'm...a writer," he said mysteriously, effectively ending his sentence with a bite of ice cream.

I raised my eyebrows. "Have I heard of you before? I'm a pretty avid reader, you know."

"Yeah, my pen name is Nathaniel Hawthorne. And you burn my books," he said with a sly grin on his face before coughing self-consciously. "Actually, I, uh, write for _Parenting_ Magazine."

"Oh, I don't read that," I replied. "Why are you blushing?"

He snorted. "It's not my dream job, that's for sure. I'd much rather be writing for something manlier...like _Car and Driver_..._Rolling Stone_..._Men's Health_, even."

"Yeah," I said, "but those magazines don't really help people. I'm sure your parenting articles do. I mean, you look like a fantastic parent."

His blush grew deeper. "I'm really not fantastic, Bella. I'm-"

He was interrupted by Emmy, who had ran to him, pulling on his shirt. "Daddy," she said, sounding tearful. "Daddy!"

"What is it, my love?" he asked her, gently taking her devastated face in his hands. My heart melted, and I realized that the way he so lovingly treated his little girl was making my little crush a whole lot bigger.

"I spilled ice cream on my white dress," she said timidly. "It's all pink now. And Aunt Alice says that-"

Edward bent and interrupted her with a kiss. "Shh, angel. It's just strawberry ice cream. I can probably get it out with spot remover."

"But Aunt Alice says-"

He shook his head. "Don't worry about Aunt Alice. If she notices, I'll handle her, okay?"

Emmy's bottom lip was still trembling. "Will Grandma be mad? She bought me this pretty dress."

Edward gave her an incredulous look. "When has Grandma ever been mad at you?"

Emmy's face was thoughtful. "Never."

Edward laughed quietly. "That's what I thought, sweetie. Don't worry about it. I spill stuff all the time. Go finish your ice cream with Emerson, okay?"

She nodded, happy again. "Okay!"

He smiled at her and bent to kiss her curls. "Love you, Emmy."

"Love you, too!" She ran back to Emerson.

He watched her for a second before turning back to me. "I'm sorry, where were we?"

I smirked at him. "We were talking about how terrible of a parent you are."

He laughed and stared down at the table. "Okay, I'm not that bad. But I'm not perfect, either."

"No one is," I murmured, watching Emerson from the corner of my eye.

"Yes, well, I must compliment your parenting, too. Emerson is so kind and well-behaved and intelligent. And you can tell that he loves you so much."

"Thanks," I said, a little embarrassed but totally flattered. "I just try my best. My dad helps a lot, though. I honestly couldn't do it without him."

"Yeah, I heard you talking to him about the play. Are you helping with the play at all?"

I groaned softly. "Yes, I'm afraid that Emerson told his teacher that his mommy makes the best cookies in the world. So I'm responsible for baking three-hundred chocolate chip cookies for the after-party." I sighed and took a big bite of ice cream as if it gave me strength. "What about you?"

He laughed. "Emmy kept her mouth shut, thankfully. I could help you out."

"Seriously?" I gasped. "You'd be willing to throw on an apron and bake cookies?"

He gave me a playful cringe. "Well...I'll forgo the apron. But sure, I would love to."

I laughed. "Only if I can keep the promise I made to Emerson and Emmy-dinner and a night of dinosaurs at my house."

He extended his hand. "I'll take you up on that."

I shook his hand, all businesslike. "It's a deal, Mr. Cullen."

"Excellent, Miss Swan," he grinned at me.

After we finished our ice cream, we walked back to Wal-Mart, where our cars were still parked.

I bent down and whispered in Emerson's ear, "Don't forget to thank Edward for your ice cream again."

Emerson immediately went to Edward and hugged his legs. "Thank you for the ice cream," he said.

Edward laughed and stooped down to hug him properly. "It's no problem. Maybe you can convince your mom to let me do it again." His green eyes flashed to me, and he gave me a wink.

"I'd like that," I admitted, opening my car door and helping Emerson into his safety seat. "Um, do you want my number? I mean, I think our kids like playing together."

He smiled. "Yeah, they do. And I like...talking together."

"Me, too," I admitted, momentarily forgetting the rest of the world.

"Mom," Emerson sighed. "I have to read to you tonight for homework!"

"Right, little man," I said, snapping out of my trance. I buckled Emerson in and closed the car door, turning to Edward, who had Emmy by the hand.

Edward cleared his throat. "Ah, here's my number." He pulled out a pen and his receipt and wrote it on the back.

I ripped off a piece of the receipt and wrote my number on it. "And here's mine."

He took it from me and smiled. "Thank you, Bella. I'll call you and we'll set up a, um, play date for the kids."

I giggled girlishly, tucking his number into my purse. "Okay. I'm, uh, looking forward to it."

"Me, too. Um, since Emerson gave me a hug, can I have one from his mom?"

The hopeful look on Edward's face literally melted my heart. "Of course," I said, and then he pulled me into a tight hug. When we broke away, we smiled at each other for a few seconds before Emmy reminded her father that they were supposed to have dinner at her grandparents'.

Edward smiled adoringly at her. "Thank you, secretary."

"I'll see you later," I told him. "Thanks for a great afternoon."

"No, thank you for helping us shop," he replied.

"It was no problem," I smiled. "Emerson is probably about to blow a gasket..."

"Yeah, my mom is probably about to stand on her head," he sighed. "I'll call you very soon."

"I'm holding you to that," I teased him.

"Oh, Miss Swan, I'm a man of my word," he winked.

"Daddy," Emmy begged him. "I want to go see what video game Uncle Jasper and Grandpa are playing tonight."

"Alright, princess. 'Bye, Bella."

"'Bye, Edward." I waved at him and got into my car.

"Mommy?" Emerson asked me as I drove out of the parking lot.

"Yes, baby?"

"Do you like Emmy's dad?" He asked this so nonchalantly as he made his little Hot Wheels car drive over his safety seat.

"Yeah," I said slowly. "He bought you ice cream. Of course I do."

"No," my son shook his head seriously. "I mean do you_ like_ him?"

"What do you know about liking people like that?"

"Well, Mike likes Jessica, so he gives her his pudding cup everyday at lunch. And she likes him back, so she gives him her little bag of Cheez-Its. And you gave Edward help with shopping for Emmy, and he gave you ice cream."

Jeez, I loved his kindergarten logic. I smiled at him in the rearview mirror. "Emerson, you know that you are the only man who really matters to me. Even though you're Aunt Rosalie's boyfriend, you're my _baby_. I only have eyes for you, kiddo."

He thought about this for a second before slowly nodding. "Good, because I don't like the fact that Aunt Rosalie likes Emmett. I don't think I could handle another man I would have to keep an eye on."

I laughed loudly. "I thought you liked Emmett."

"I do, Mommy. But not for my Aunt Rosalie."

He was turning green with envy. I chuckled again. "Emerson, Aunt Rosalie is a lot older than you. It's the curse of loving older women, sweetie-pie."

"Yeah, I know," he sighed.

"Don't you like it that I'm friends with Emmy's dad? That means you can play with Emmy a lot more."

"Yeah, I like _that_ part. But I don't want to have to kick his butt over you." The serious expression on his face was comical.

I snorted. "Emerson, don't say that word. And don't worry about Edward. I think he seems nice. He must be nice if Emmy is nice, right?"

"Yeah, I guess..." he mumbled doubtfully. "As long as I can be your main man, he'll be okay."

"Charlie Emerson Swan," I teased him. "Don't you know that you will always be my main man? Even if I do meet a man, you will always be my top priority. No one will ever take my heart away from you."

"Okay," he said, looking a little more cheerful.

"Even when you're old enough to get married," I added.

He crinkled his nose. "Eww! Mom! Don't say that!"

_Ah, the kindergartener finally comes out again._ "What's wrong with that idea?" I asked him.

"Marriage gives you cooties." He looked horror-stricken.

"Oh, right," I said. "Good point. Hey, little man?"

"Yeah, Mom?"

"I love you more than Lois Lane loves Superman."

He giggled. "I love you more than Spiderman loves Mary Jane Watson."

"Wow," I commented. "That's a lot, baby."

God, I loved my little man.

* * *

_I've actually already written a lot of chapters. I'll post when I can._

_Leave a review, por favor?_


	3. Standing Up

**Chapter Three: "Standing Up" Bella's POV**

"He sounds dreamy," Rosalie gushed as she sipped tea, grading papers in my kitchen. She was a middle school teacher who always brought her work home.

"He is," I admitted as I stirred the spaghetti sauce on the stove. "Did I mention how he treats his daughter?"

"I don't think so," she said.

"He is, like, the ultimate daddy. He calls her_ sweetie_ and_ love_ and _angel_ and _princess_. He always kisses her hair. He is like, so in love with Emmy. And she adores him, too. She's a total daddy's girl. I've never seen anything more adorable or heartwarming."

"Is she cute?"

"The most beautiful little girl I've ever seen," I admitted. "The spitting image of her father."

Rosalie grinned. "I bet you two would have cute babies."

"You haven't even seen him!" I exclaimed. "How would you know?"

"Emerson is the most adorable child alive, and if Emmy is as beautiful as you say, then obviously the chances for another beautiful child are good," she said matter-of-factly. "And can you imagine the wedding? Emerson as a ring-bearer and Emmy as a flower girl! And me as the maid-of-honor, obviously."

"Whoa, whoa, slow down," I said. "We haven't even been on a date yet."

There was a wicked gleam in her eye that told me all of her papers to grade were forgotten. "Well then, we must fix that. You have his number, right?"

"Yes," I said nervously.

"Call him!" she encouraged me. "Set up a real date."

I shook my head. "No, Rose. He's the man. He should call me first. And he hasn't, so how do I know if he's even interested?"

She rolled her eyes. "Isabella Marie Swan, quit lying to yourself. He totally likes you. It's only been one day since you've seen him. Maybe he's shy about calling you. Call him! If you don't want to call it a date, then call it a play date for the kids."

I shook my head. "No. Right now I'm focusing on feeding my child some spaghetti. Which is ready, by the way. I'm going to go get Emerson, okay?"

"Okay," she sighed. I walked into the living room, where Emerson was watching _Dora the Explorer_. "Hola, señor," I greeted him.

"Hola, Mama," he said back. "I learned the word for 'cat' today."

"Oh, really?" I asked him. "What is that?"

"Gato," he said proudly.

"Wow," I said. "You'll be a fluent Spanish speaker by the time Dora goes off the air. Are you ready for some spaghetti?"

"Si!" He jumped up and ran into the kitchen to join Rosalie at the table.

As soon as I had served the spaghetti and sat down at the table, Rosalie turned to my son. "Emerson," she said sweetly. "Don't you think it's a good idea for your mom to call Emmy's dad and set up a play date?"

Emerson's dark eyes lit up. "Yeah!" he exclaimed. "Please, Mommy?"

I sighed and glared at Rosalie. "Aunt Rosalie is forgetting that Mommy is very busy."

"I think you should call Edward now," Rosalie said, fingering my cell phone that was laying on the table.

I glanced down at it and realized that she had punched his number into it. It was just waiting on someone to hit the Call button. "Rose!" I gasped. "How do you know his number?"

"It was in your purse," she shrugged.

"You went through my purse?" I nearly yelled.

She giggled and picked up the phone. "I'll call Edward for you, then."

"Don't," I said, and then stared in horror as she pressed the button and held it up to her ear. "It's ringing," she mouthed.

"Oh, for god's sake!" I groaned, snatching the phone from her. Emerson giggled as I realized that it was, indeed, ringing. I froze, praying that Edward would not pick up. I was too shy for this.

However, my prayers were not answered.

"Hello?" Edward's velvet voice asked, sounding a bit sad.

My tongue felt like it was glued to the roof of my mouth.

"Hello?" he said again.

Somehow, I somewhat composed myself. "Hey, Edward?" I said. "It's Bella. Um, Bella Swan."

"Oh! My Payless Shoe Source angel," he joked, sounding immediately cheered up. "I was just thinking about you."

I tried to ignore the waves of flattery that were rolling over me...and the butterflies in my stomach. "Good thoughts, I hope," I said weakly.

"Always," he promised. "How are you?"

"I'm good," I replied. Both Rosalie and Emerson were staring at me in frank curiosity. "I was just calling to...um...discuss those chocolate chip cookies."

Rosalie clapped her hands gleefully. She knew exactly what I was referring to.

"Oh, right," he said. "I did promise to help with those, didn't I?"

I snorted. "Yes, you did. I was wondering if maybe you and Emmy would like to come over Thursday at six? I'll supply dinner for us all and the dinosaurs for the kids. And you can supply your housewife qualities."

He chuckled. "Fabric softener and all?"

I laughed, trying not to choke from nerves. "Nah, I have enough of that."

"Of course you do," he replied, his voice sounding very happy. "What can I bring over?"

"Just you and Emmy," I told him. "Seriously, I love to cook. Don't worry about it. Is lasagna okay with you guys?" My lasagna was everybody's favorite recipe.

"Lasagna is perfect," he said. "And I'll bring a dessert anyway...and my baking skills."

"Excellent," I said.

"Okay, it's a date," he purred, and I nearly melted.

"Yeah," I nearly whispered. "Um, have a good week until then."

"May you have a week as lovely as you are," he said sweetly. "Tell the little man I said hey."

"I will," I promised. "See you soon, Edward."

"See you soon, Bella."

I hung up. Emerson was practically bouncing up and down in his seat. "Are they coming?" he asked.

"Thursday," I told him. "And Edward said 'hey.'"

"I like Edward," Emerson announced as I spooned the spaghetti onto his plate.

"Your mommy likes Edward, too," Rosalie said mischeviously.

I coughed awkwardly, nearly spilling the sauce. "Rose, will you go get the garlic bread?"

"Of course," she smiled innocently.  
_  
Time to change the subject_. "So what did you do at school today, Clark Kent?"

He shrugged, swirling noodles around his fork. "We watched our chrysalis but the butterfly still didn't come out. It's taking forever. And we read the Pug book again. It's boring, but Mrs. Milstead said that the school can't afford new books." He sighed heavily.

"We'll read more books at home," I promised him. "What letter are you learning to write this week?"

"P," he said. "As in _pig, peg, path, pink_, and _Pug_."

"Or _porcupine_," Rose said, putting the bread on the table. "What about a pink porcupine?"

Emerson giggled. "No, Aunt Rosalie. Oh! And I played with Emmy at recess! We played tetherball until Mike stole the ball."

"Mike Newton?" I asked. "He stole the tetherball? How?"

"He broke the string," Emerson replied quietly, his eyes sad. "Mike is mean to everybody except Jessica. I don't know why Jessica likes him!"

"Did you tell the teacher?" Rosalie asked.

Somehow, my son already had sauce all over his face. "No. Mike's a bully," he said quietly, sounding forlorn.

"You okay, Emerson?" I asked him.

He nodded. "Yeah…"

"What's wrong?" I asked him. "My Spidey Sense is going off."

He sighed heavily. "Mike said some mean stuff to Emmy. He said that she's a loser because she doesn't have a mom like he does."

I choked on my noodles. "Are…you…serious?" I coughed.

"Yeah," he confirmed, staring at his plate. "I told him to go away and he said that _I'm_ a loser for not having a dad."

Rosalie and I exchanged a glance. I pushed my spaghetti away. "Come here, baby."

Emerson sighed and moved to sit in my lap. I took my napkin and started to gently wipe the sauce off of his face. "Don't ever listen to anything Mike says," I told him gently, my heart throbbing in pain. "It's not your fault that you don't have a dad. But guess what? You have a mom who loves you more than anything in the world."

"And an aunt who is also your hot girlfriend," Rosalie added.

Emerson cracked a smile.

"I'm sorry you don't have a dad," I told him sincerely. "But sweetie, I love you more than Aunt May loves Peter Parker. And I love you more than I could ever love any man who could be your dad. You're all I need, and while _you_ may not have everything, you give _me_ everything. We're making it just fine without a dad, right?"

He nodded. "I know, Mommy. Don't worry. I'm used to not having a dad. I could tell that it hurt Emmy's feelings, though."

"You did the right thing by standing up for her," I told him, kissing his hair. "But next time you need to tell a teacher. Mike shouldn't be allowed to say those things. And Emerson, I know it's hard to not have a dad. But it's the hard stuff that makes a superhero powerful. Peter Parker didn't have a mom or a dad."

He smiled at me. "At least I have a mom. I hate it that Emmy doesn't get to have a mom like I do."

Rosalie stuck around until after I tucked Emerson into bed with a kiss and an _I love you._ She was helping me wash the dishes when she brought it up to me.

"You know, he needs a male influence," she remarked. "Why don't you let him hang out with Emmett?"

"I don't want to bother Emmett—"

"Emmett loves kids," she interrupted me. "He thinks that Emerson is the most kickass kid ever. Emmett has a big Jeep and video games and he loves _Transformers._ Emerson would probably love to hang out with him."

"We'll see," I replied.

"It's quite simple: if Emmett doesn't want to hang out with Emerson, then I'm breaking up with him," she sniffed. "Emerson is my main man."

I giggled. "I think my son is going to be a womanizer."

* * *

I embarrassed Emerson by following him into his kindergarten class the next day, but I needed to speak with his teacher. He stomped to the far wall and hung his backpack up on the appropriate hook before going to his desk and sitting quietly, his cheeks red. He had inherited that blush from me, of course.

I sighed and approached the kind middle-aged woman. "Mrs. Milstead? I was wondering if I could speak with you for a second?"

"Of course, Mrs. Swan," she replied before blushing. Obviously she had forgotten that I was the only mother who wasn't a _Mrs._ "Is it about Emerson? He's doing extremely well. He's so well-behaved and reads like a second grader!"

I smiled, proud of my baby. "Thank you," I said gratefully, "but it's actually about another student. Emerson told me that Mike Newton has been teasing the other students, especially the children who live in single-parent households. Emmy Cullen has been having a problem with Mike as well."

Mrs. Milstead's mouth fell open. "I had no idea. Emmy isn't one of my students, but I know who she is. I will watch Mike and see if he continues the bullying."

"I would prefer that you have a conference with his parents," I replied curtly. "It wasn't fun last night to comfort Emerson over the fact that he doesn't have a father."

"That's what happens when a child comes from a broken home," she said dryly. "Especially with young parents."

Now _my _mouth fell open. _How dare she!_ "That's none of your business," I snapped. "You just admitted that Emerson Swan is one of your most intelligent, well-behaved students, and _I _am the reason that he is so happy and healthy. If you won't approach Mr. and Mrs. Newton, then I will."

"No, of course I will," she said in a hurry. "I didn't mean to offend you. It's just that, well, you should expect your child to be ostracized for your poor decisions. That's how human beings are, Ms. Swan."

"Emerson was _not_ a poor decision," I replied. "And I never expect my child to be ostracized. I want an end to it now. I'm personal friends with Emmy Cullen's father, and if she continues to be bullied, then I will go to him and relay this entire conversation."

"That won't be necessary," the teacher squeaked. "I'll take care of it."

I took a deep breath and nodded. "Okay," I sighed. "Thank you, Mrs. Milstead. I really have to get to work now. And by the way, there is nothing _broken_ about my home. It is just as clean, tidy, safe, and loving as yours."

"Of course, Ms. Swan," she said uncomfortably. "I'm truly sorry for offending you."

I left the classroom without saying goodbye to Emerson; he had been humiliated enough. Needless to say, I was furious, but that awful Wednesday morning had an upside to it.

Edward Cullen was going to be at my house tomorrow.

* * *

_Review, review, review!_


	4. Cookies

**Chapter Four: "Cookies" Bella's POV**

"Oof!" I exclaimed as a flash of red and blue ran into me, wrapping arms around my legs. A very tiny Spiderman had just tackled me in a big hug. "Uh, hi, Spiderman. Have you seen my son?"

Emerson giggled and pulled the mask off. "It's me, Mommy! Isn't my new costume cool?"

"Very cool," I said slowly. "Where did you get it?"

"Emmett," he explained happily, pointing to the rather large Green Goblin that sat on Rosalie's couch.

Emmett removed the mask and waved at me. "Hey, Bella."

"Emmett," I sighed, "you're really sweet, but you can't keep buying him stuff!"

"Of course I can," Emmett replied, yanking at the collar of his bulky costume. "I already had the Goblin costume from Halloween, but I needed a superhero to fight."

Rosalie emerged from the kitchen. "What?" I asked sarcastically. "You're not dressed as Mary Jane Watson?"

Rose crinkled up her nose. "Kirsten Dunst? Are you kidding me? I'm so much prettier."

"I agree," Emmett interjected.

"Suck-up!" Emerson shouted before bodyslamming Emmett. "She's mine!"

Emmett chortled and tossed Emerson over his back, holding on to him by his feet. "I think I need to squash a spider..."

"No!" Emerson begged. "Mom! Aunt Rosalie! Help!"

Rose and I giggled before I went to retrieve my son. I picked him up and cradled him against me. He was so big and heavy. "Come on, Spidey. You have to go clean your room."

"Aw, Mom, why?" he grumbled.

"Because Emmy and her dad are coming over tonight," I reminded him. "And I have to whip up a lasagna and three-hundred chocolate chip cookies, so don't complain. Come on, you can drive."

"Really?" he asked, his mouth open and eyes wide.

I giggled. "Sure-when you're sixteen."

"You're mean, Mommy."

I put him down and playfully swatted at him. "But you love me. Go change into your clothes. It's freezing outside."

Emerson walked toward the bathroom.

"So?" Rosalie smirked at me. "Are you excited about your first date in five years?"

"Way to make me sound pathetic," I rolled my eyes. "And it's not a date. It's a play date."

"You aren't going to wear your scrubs, are you?" she asked in horror.

"And smell like Novacaine?" I replied. "No, thanks. I don't know what I'll wear. I'm not putting much thought into it."

"Bella," she groaned. "Let me go grab you an outfit from my closet."

"Rose..."

She ran off before I could disagree.

"You might as well give up," Emmett told me. "She's as tenacious as they come."

"Believe me, I know," I replied. "When I moved to Washington, I was already pregnant. Rosalie was my first friend and definitely stood up for me when kids were cruel."

"That sounds like her," he grinned. "Beauty, brains, and a ballbuster, all in one."

"That's a very apt description," I agreed. "Oh, hey, thanks for hanging out with Emerson. It really means a lot."

"It's no problem," he assured me. "Emerson is the coolest kid I've seen in a long time. He's a trip."

"That he is," I agreed just as Rosalie came running to me, holding a blue sweater and a gold belt.

"Wear this with jeans," she commanded me. "Put the belt over the sweater."

"Thanks," I said, knowing better than to argue with her. I called down the hall, "Emerson, sweetie, the clock is ticking!"

He finally came out. I helped him zip his coat and straighten his hat. After my son thanked Emmett and Rose for a fun afternoon, we left for my house.

I had already thrown the lasagna together the night before and frozen it, so I just popped it into the oven with a pan of garlic bread. I had also bought the ingredients for the cookies, and I arranged them on the counter.

I peeked in on Emerson and saw him responsibly put his toys and books away. After that, I went and changed, following Rosalie's directions. She was a genius, of course. The cowl-neck sweater was extremely flattering and the blue was pretty with my pale skin. I pulled my hair down, letting my curls fall around my shoulder, and brushed it out. I even added some mascara, blush, and lipstick, which probably revealed just how big my crush on Edward was. I usually despised applying makeup.

I had given Edward directions to my house, so after I ran through the apartment and tidied up, I just sat and waited. Emerson looked excited and impatient; he didn't often have friends over. Parents really could be cruel…

"C'mere," I told him, sitting on the couch.

He walked to me and stood between my legs.

I pulled him to me, kissing his black hair. "I don't get to love on you enough," I complained lightly, rubbing his back. "You're getting too big and old for Mommy, huh?"

He smiled. "_Mom_..."

"Oh, humor me," I rolled my eyes, kissing his cheek and blowing a raspberry into his neck.

He giggled. "You're getting lipstick on me!"

"I'm sorry," I replied, licking my thumb and using it to wipe the makeup off his skin. "Do I look okay?"

"You look pretty," he promised me.

"Thank you, little man," I replied, nuzzling my nose in his raven hair.

The doorbell rang then, and we both shot to the door. I peered out the peephole before opening the door. Yep, it was the Cullens.

"Hi," I said brightly. "Come on in. It's frigid out there!"

"Thank you," Edward replied, ushering Emmy in. She wore a pink peacoat that looked similar to her father's black peacoat. As soon as they were inside, Edward stooped to unbutton his  
daughter out of her coat.

"Come on, Emmy!" Emerson invited his friend. They ran into the living room "The closet is right here," I told Edward as he took his coat off, opening the door.

"Thanks," he said again as I helped him hang the coats up. "It's really nasty out there. Oh, by the way, this is for our lovely hostess." He held up a large plastic bowl.

"Oh, sweet," I said, taking it from him and peeking under the lid. It was a batch of delicious-looking brownies. "Wow, these look incredible."

"It's my mom's recipe, but Emmy and I made them."

"Thanks so much. Come on into to the kitchen. The lasagna is almost ready."

I walked into the kitchen and opened the oven. It was, indeed, almost ready.

"That smells delicious," he remarked as I straightened up and turned to look at him.

I smiled. "Thanks! How was your day?"

He cringed. "I very narrowly made a deadline and my article still sucked."

"What was the article on?" I prodded as I pulled out two glasses.

He blushed. "If you're that curious, why don't you buy this month's issue?"

I gave him a funny look. "Is it something awkward...?"

"It's something I don't know anything about, since I'm not a woman," he said dryly. "The editor-in-chief sometimes gets a little frazzled, to say the least, and he forgets that men don't know anything about…woman things."

I grinned. "Would you like iced tea, juice, or water?"

"Water is fine," he said. "So, just how many cookies are we talking?"

"Three-hundred," I said as I retrieved him a glass of water. "I have all of the ingredients. Do you want to start now, or until after we eat dinner?"

"You're the hostess," he smiled crookedly. "You decide. And that's a lot of ingredients." He leered at the counter full of sugar, flour, and butter.

I shrugged. "Grandma's recipe. She was big on the white flour and corn syrup."

I suddenly smelled a very rich aroma of tomatoes and cheese that was bordering on burnt. "Fudge!" I exclaimed, hurriedly pulling the lasagna out. Thank God it wasn't burnt..._my hand _was just burnt.

Edward chuckled lightly. "I see you have a small child's profanity as well."

"Very much so," I agreed, running to the sink. "Fudge, fishsticks, son-of-a-nutcracker, cheese and rice, tartar sauce..."

"I know tartar sauce is from Spongebob, but son-of-a-nutcracker?"

I ran some cold water over my burnt hand. "Yeah...it's from _Elf_, with Will Ferrell. Have you seen it?"

"I'm afraid not. Did you burn your hand?"

"Just a little."

He gave me an amused glance before grabbing the dishtowel off the counter and running to the fridge to put ice in it.

"Thanks," I said, my cheeks burning. I had never been clumsy in the kitchen. Why was I clumsy now?  
_  
Because Edward Cullen flusters you._

I mentally rolled my eyes at myself before going to the living room. Emerson and Emmy were playing with Emerson's plastic dinosaurs. "Hey, guys?" I caught their attention. "Dinner is ready."

"Come on," Emerson encouraged Emmy. "My mom's lasagna is the best."

I went back to the kitchen. "What will Emmy drink?"

"Juice is perfect," he replied.

I pulled some plates and glasses from the cabinet. "I'll let you get your plate and Emmy's plate. I don't know how much you guys eat."

"Mom," Emerson said as they walked into the kitchen, both grasping a dinosaur. "Can we watch _The Land Before Time_ now?"

"After we eat, sweetie," I replied. "Edward is going to have to stay here for a while to help me make cookies." I gave my new friend a pointed glance.

He simply smiled. "It would be my honor. Emmy, how hungry are you, love?"

"_Very_ hungry," the adorable little girl replied. "Guess what, Daddy! Emerson has a Comp-sog-nath-us!" She held up her very small dinosaur after carefully sounding out the big word.

"I'm not familiar with that one," Edward said apologetically. Smiling to myself, I poured glasses of juice for the kids.

"It was the size of a chicken," Emmy explained. "It ate bugs and tiny lizards. Not dinosaurs. Miss Bella, so you know what _dinosaur_ means?"

"I don't think so," I beamed at her, already captivated by her charm. "And you can just call me Bella, sweetheart."

"It means _terrible lizard_," she told me excitedly as her daddy sat her at the table. "A man named Richard Owen made up that word. But the Comp-sog-nath-us didn't eat _terrible lizards_. He ate _little bitty lizards_, like on the Geico commercials."

Edward laughed quietly. "Do they play a lot of Geico commercials on National Geographic, sweet girl?"

"Yeah," she smiled. "Grandpa told me about the Comp-sog-nath-us."

I sat Emerson next to Emmy and then took the spot next to Edward.

"This is so good, Mom," Emerson complimented me, already diving into his lasagna.

"Yeah, it is," Emmy agreed. "Bella, did you know that the dinosaur with the biggest brain was the Troodon? They think he is the smartest dinosaur. But Grandpa says that a big brain  
doesn't make you smart, because I'm so small and I'm the smartest little girl he's ever seen."

Edward suddenly coughed. "Emmy, love, we all know you don't have a problem with self-esteem, but be a little humble."

"No, I think I agree with your grandpa," I said, eating my lasagna as the ice nursed my hand. "You're an extremely smart little girl. Did you know the stegosaurus had a brain the size of a walnut?"

"Yeah," she replied. "They think he was the dumbest dinosaur, but Grandpa says that is _simply not true_." I noticed she slipped into a British accent at the end of her sentence.

Edward felt compelled to explain. "My dad is from London. He came to the states for a vacation, saw my mom, and never looked away. He's been here for twenty-five years, but his accent is still very-"

"Beatles-like," Emmy finished for him.

"Manners, sweetie," Edward scolded softly. "And yes, I suppose he does speak like the Beatles, but that is where the similarities end. No musical talent whatsoever. But he is a rather renowned scientist at the university. Miss Emily Juliet Cullen is the apple of his eye." Lovingly, he smoothed  
his daughter's curls. "Ems loves to imitate his voice."

"Emmy," Emerson piped up, "what is your favorite dinosaur?"

"The Velociraptor," she said confidently. "They were the only dinosaurs who could speak with each other and make hand signals."

"How can they figure that out from fossils?" I asked Edward quietly, who just gave me a look like, _Tell me about it._

"What is your favorite?" Emmy asked my son.

"The Euo-ploc-e-phal-us," Emerson carefully sounded out. "It could smash bones with its tail. It's like The Thing from _Fantastic Four."_

"Who is your favorite superhero?" Edward queried, obviously taking advantage of a conversation away from dinosaurs. I wondered how much of Emmy's vocabulary consisted of archeological terms.

"Either Superman or Spiderman," Emerson said thoughtfully. "Not Batman, because Mom wouldn't let me see _The Dark Knight_. I don't know what happens." He gave me a sad face.

"When you're older," I promised him. "I saw it with Aunt Rosalie, and it was pretty rough, baby."

"It wasn't that good," Edward tried to soothe Emerson. "I was disappointed. I wouldn't let Emmy see it, either."

And so went the rest of our dinner conversation. Emmy continued to share her vast scientific knowledge and Emerson just soaked it up. I could see something in his eyes when he looked at her, as silly as that sounds for a five-year-old. I couldn't tell if it was a crush or admiration or just gratitude to have a friend at last.

When the kids finished their lasagna, I slid _The Land Before Time_ into the DVD player. The children laid on their stomachs on the carpet, still clutching the plastic dinosaurs, and eating the scrumptious brownies Edward had brought. Emerson had seen the movie so many times that he could use his toys to act out the scenes. I wondered if they were going to give a performance.

"Shall we get started?" I asked as I returned to the kitchen.

Edward smiled down at me, making my heart race. "We shall. By the way, that lasagna was...wow."

"Thanks," I blushed with an involuntary girlish giggle. "Another one of Grandma's recipes."

"She seems like an amazing woman. What do you want me to do in the way of baking?"

"I'll show you," I replied, preheating the oven. "I borrowed my friend Rosalie's mixer, so we can do double duty. The list of measurements is right here. In this bowl, mix the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Add the corn syrup, egg, and vanilla and beat until well blended. But the trick is to make the batter light and fluffy. Can you do that?"

He snorted. "Maybe you should show me how."

I giggled again. "Alright. Two sticks of butter, three/fourths cup of brown sugar, half cup of sugar," I listed as I poured the specific ingredients into the bowl. "Didn't you make the very delicious brownies?"

"Yes, but I know how to _mix_. I don't know how to make it _light and fluffy_."

I snickered. "Okay, silly. Measure me out a half-cup of sugar?"

He handed it to me, our fingers brushing against each other. It made my heartbeat grow so loud I blushed. I hadn't felt this delicious tingle of hope, anticipation, and infatuation in so long.

After I poured it into the bowl, I grabbed the mixer and attached the whisks. "Let me see your hand," I requested softly.

Our fingers automatically laced as I guided his hand toward the mixer. We gripped the handle together, his hand under mine. Not wanting to break our handholding, I hit the power switch and nudged the whisks down into the batter.

Batter suddenly splattered everywhere, ruining the wonderfully solemn atmosphere.

"Whoa!" we both shouted. I quickly hit the off button and dropped the mixer.

"I'm sorry," I sputtered. "I totally didn't mean-"

He laughed and put a finger over my lips. "Bella, it's fine. In fact, you're rather adorable with batter on your face." To prove his point, he swiped some goo off my face with one finger before tasting it.

Okay, so I may have been a mother, but I was still a twenty-one-year-old woman, and the youth in me found that to be incredibly sexy from this doting father. The phrase _DILF_ came to mind. So of course I was a bit frozen, not knowing how to react. His gorgeous green eyes smoldered down at me...

And then we were interrupted by my ringing cell phone.

I sighed softly as I turned away from him to answer it. It was Charlie.

"Hey, Dad," I said lightly.

"Hey, Bells." His voice sounded sad and stressed out.

"You don't sound too good," I said, watching Edward as he used the paper towel to wipe up the batter on the counter. I could see a blush on his face, too.

"Yeah, I've got some bad news. You know the Atearas down at the reservation?"

"Yeah, of course."

"Logan is missing."

"Wait," I said in a panicky voice. "Isn't he the one with Down syndrome?"

"I'm afraid so," Charlie sighed.

"Oh my god!" I exclaimed. "What happened?"

"He just wandered off. We think he's in the woods. Anyway, I doubt I'll be able to make it to Emerson's play. Tell him I'm so sorry."

"Don't worry about it, Dad," I assured him. "Finding Logan is way more important. You'll still get to see the Valentine's Day production."

"Thanks, Bells. You still coming down for Thanksgiving?"

"Of course. We can't wait."

After I got off the phone, Edward gave me a funny look, so I explained that my dad was the police chief and then the Logan situation.

"Well, ginger snaps," Edward said softly, using another "kid-friendly" curse word. "That's awful. I can't imagine what I would do if Emmy went missing."

"I know what you mean," I agreed. "Emerson is my world. Luckily, Forks and La Push are a tightly-bound community. They'll find him one way or another. People really take care of each other down there."

I noticed Edward still had batter on his face, so I used a paper towel to wipe it off. He smiled at me. "Thanks, Bella."

"No problem. Now that I've made a mess, shall we try again?"

This time I got the mixer right, and sparks flowed throughout my veins as I held his hand, guiding his gentle mixing. Finally I no longer had an excuse to guide him, but he didn't seem to want me to let go. He lightly put a hand on my waist.

When the batter was light and fluffy, I added the other ingredients and he mixed it together. We spooned the batter out into cookies on several cookie sheets.

"So your dad is a police officer," he mused. "What about your mom?"

I tried not to roll my eyes at the thought of my mom. "Five years ago, she was a kindergarten teacher in Arizona, and I imagine she still is." I lowered my voice to a whisper. "I haven't spoken to her since the day after my sixteenth birthday, when I found out I was pregnant with Emerson."

"Oh," Edward said sadly. "I'm sorry."

I shrugged. "It's her loss, trust me. She sent me to live with my dad so I couldn't 'shame her'…but it was only because she was newly married to a very young man and didn't want a baby in her newlywed days. I sent her a picture of me and Emerson after he was born, but I never got a reply. So she's no longer a part of my life. What about your mom?"

"She's an architect," he said lightly. "And yeah, she was pissed when Tanya and I told her about Emmy…but she came around by the first ultrasound."

"You're very lucky," I said softly.

He nodded. "Yeah, my parents are extremely wealthy, but I've still had to do it on my own. I got a job and found an apartment for Tanya and myself, but of course in her grand tradition, she only took advantage of me. By the time she was gone, I was broke. Mom and Dad would keep Emmy for me to go to school, but everything else was my responsibility." He sighed.

"Trust me, it's really hard to be seventeen years old and have to call your very religious father and say, 'Hey, Dad, I'm out of formula and diapers and my baby is hungry.' Of course they would never make Emmy and me go without a meal, but I still learned responsibility."

My heart broke. "Yeah, I can imagine. Luckily my dad helped me out financially until I got my degree, so Emerson and I never missed a meal, either. After I got my job, he quit supporting me, but I know he would still help me if I needed it."

Edward nodded. "Yeah, I got a scholarship to the university. Mom works at home, so she kept Emmy while I went to school during the day and worked most nights. I got my degree in journalism and managed to find a job right off the bat. Money is still tight, though."

"Yep, Santa doesn't bless Emerson as much as he does the other kids," I sighed.

"Same for Emmy. She's happy and healthy, though."

I smiled at him. "We're both great parents, I think. Ready for the next batch?"

We fell into a pattern of mixing a bowl of batter together—we apparently liked that flirty little game—and rotating the batches in the oven. I went and gave Emerson and Emmy a few cookies and a glass of milk each, and they seemed to approve of them.

Edward cleared his throat uncomfortably. "So you haven't been in a relationship since Emerson's father."

I snorted. "Is it that obvious? No, and Jacob Black didn't really count as a relationship, either. He was just some rebel with a motorcycle who swung through Phoenix, and we became hook-up buddies…he left on that gorgeous motorcycle the minute I told him I was pregnant."

"Yeah, I haven't dated, either."

"It may be easier for you," I mused. "You didn't have the pregnancy weight, and at least girls think a guy with a baby is cute."

He visibly scoffed. "Oh, yeah right! _Come back to my place _doesn't really work when you have to interrupt the makeout session because the baby monitor is going off." I could tell by his smirk that he was joking with me.

I giggled. "I never even got as far as a makeout session."

"Well, I can't even tell you've had a baby, if it makes you feel better. You're gorgeous in every way, especially in that blue."

I blushed deeply. "Thanks," I murmured. "I really can't believe this Tanya gave you up."

"She didn't give _me_ up," he muttered. "She gave _Emmy_ up. That's what I don't understand."

"Your daughter is so intelligent."

A smile immediately spread across his face. "Blame my dad…but she's a little fashion maven, too. That's from my sister. She prefers clothes, shoes, and hairbows to toys, which I find strange for a five-year-old…"

I laughed. "I was never like that. I preferred to make mudpies and play in the dirt. So I guess I was destined to have a son."

"Do you have any dreams of marriage and more kids?"

I bit my lip as I combined more ingredients. "Um…yeah, I do want to find a dad for Emerson. But at the same time, it's hard for me to ever trust a man…Jacob really let me down. Plus my mom's husband was the primary reason why she kicked me out. Men have really let me down, except for my dad. And as for other kids…someday, maybe? Right now it's all about Emerson."

He nodded, allowing that.

"What about you?" I asked him.

He smiled. "I want a son. I was hoping for a boy, but I wouldn't trade Emmy for any baseball player. It's kind of amazing how good I've become at braiding hair and helping her put on tights."

I giggled. "She's really precious, and always looks beautiful. You're doing a good job."

His face lit up at a sudden memory. "Here's a funny story that should punch my man card: Emmy was three years old and had the most beautiful curly hair. I thought it looked great, but my mom said that she had ratty split ends and she desperately needed a trim. I didn't even know what split ends were…anyway, I took Emmy to a hair salon and told them to only take care of the split ends. They cut an inch off, and I literally started crying. Emmy was loving the attention and the whole haircutting process. And there I was, twenty years old, bawling over a _haircut_."

I couldn't hold in the chuckles. "Wait, you cried in front of everyone?"

He nodded guiltily. "Yeah. It was so humiliating, but haircuts are _hard_ for daddies. Mom or Alice—my sister—now take her to get trims. One thing is for sure: she will never, ever dye her hair or cut it short as long as she is under my roof."

"Wow," I said. "I keep Emerson's hair short because his dad had long hair…I just can't take the constant visual reminder. But yeah, I can see where that would be a bit _traumatizing_ for you."

He playfully nudged me. "Are you saying I'm traumatized?"

"No," I said before thinking. "I'm saying that you're just really cute."

The smile on his face was like Christmas morning. "So you think I'm cute?"

I rolled my eyes. "Well, you said I'm adorable and gorgeous."

"Can I say it again sometime?"

I chuckled at the hopeful look on his face. "Maybe…if you keep mixing these cookies up."

He rolled his eyes playfully as I walked to the oven to pull out another batch. I had been avoiding sampling one so I wouldn't look like a pig in front of him, but finally, I couldn't resist them anymore. I poured up a glass of milk and dunked a steaming hot cookie.

_Just like Grandma's._

"Have you tried one?" I asked him.

He grinned crookedly, his face betraying a little bit of guilt. "I've been sneaking a few."

"But have you created the classic combination of chocolate chip cookies and milk?"

"I don't believe I have."

I dunked another cookie in the cold milk and held it up to his lips. He gingerly took a bite in that extremely sexy way and made a deep noise of satisfaction.

"So the way to a man's heart is through his stomach?" I teased him.

He let me feed him the rest of the cookie. "It's certainly not a bad theory."

We finished baking cookies in much the same way: deep conversations about everything from ice cream to immunizations, and soft, innocent flirting. Finally, we had arranged the chewy cookies in plastic containers.

"Oh my god!" Edward exclaimed as he saw the clock. "It's ten PM!"

I hadn't even realized it was that late. We ran to the living room to find the movie over and our children sleeping on the carpet.

"Emmy is usually in bed by eight thirty," he explained, looking tenderly at his daughter.

"Same for Emerson." I went and smoothed my son's hair out of his face. He had a triceratops hugged to his chest.

"I guess I better go," Edward said a bit regretfully, going to the hall to pull on his coat.

"It's been a very fun night," I told him. "Thanks for helping me with my chore. You don't know how much I appreciate it."

"No, it was a load of fun," he smiled, pulling out Emmy's pink coat. "And I think Emmy enjoyed it, too. Of course she will never eat Daddy's lasagna again, since mine comes from the frozen foods aisle."

I laughed quietly and followed him back to the living room. While he lifted Emmy up, I helped him put her coat on her. Finally, he had her snuggled close, her sweet little head resting on his shoulder. She didn't even stir the whole time.

I walked him to the door. "Hey, I have a question," he said, pausing with his hand on the doorknob.

I raised my eyebrows. "Oh?"

"Yeah…" He nervously bit his lip. "Will you be my date to the play tomorrow?"

"Your family isn't coming?"

He shook his head. "My parents are out of town, and Alice has a night class."

I smiled at him. "Well then, of course. I would love to be your date. We don't have to pick up the kids after school, do we?"

He shook his head. "No, they'll be at school all afternoon working on the play. The play is at six, so what if I pick you up at five thirty?"

"Okay," I nodded. "That sounds amazing."

He smiled and bent to kiss my cheek. "Good night, Bella. Thanks for a fabulous dinner, dessert, and conversation."

"No, thank _you_. It's cool to have so much in common with someone," I replied, my cheek tingling and my heart racing.

He gave me his most beautiful crooked smile. "See you tomorrow."

"Good night, Edward."

I locked the door behind him and silently carried Emerson to his bed. After I dressed him in his pajamas and tucked him in, I went to my room to change into my pajamas.

I already had a text message from Rosalie: _So, how was the date with Mr. Perfect?_

I eagerly replied with one word: _Perfect._

And then I did a rather childish dance on my mattress.

* * *

_**Emmy's ability to rattle off dinosaur facts was inspired by my little brother, who at age six could explain the dynamics of astronomy and also chose a telescope for Christmas instead of one of those electric Jeeps for kids. As he grew older, he used his telescope to spy on our next-door neighbor, who had been caught looking in my window with his own telescope.**_

_**The haircut story was inspired by my own father, who held me tight and bawled when I had an inch of white-blonde hair cut off at age three. I no longer have that gorgeous white-blonde hair (it has naturally darkened to a less attractive ash blonde that looks red in the sunlight) but he still gets upset whenever I go for a trim.**_

_**Would anyone be interested in Edward's POV?**_

_**For my "Aftershocks" readers, chapter two should be up by Wednesday.**_

_**I love reviews!  
**_


	5. The Play

**One last chapter before my Thanksgiving break is up. Only seventeen school days until Christmas break, though! (I just found out I'm spending Christmas with my extended family, so I'm thrilled. This holiday season is going to be fun!)  


* * *

Chapter Five: "The Play" Bella's POV**

Rosalie's frog costume was clearly superior to every other homemade costume. She had really put on the dog, with silk, sequins, and googly eyes. Even Emerson's stuffy teacher complimented me. I accepted it graciously, adding how long it had taken me to make it. It was a little white lie, but might as well blow her mind, right?

Work was unbelievably slow. It was the Friday before Thanksgiving and people were obviously more concerned with packing bags and catching planes than with getting their teeth cleaned. I mostly sat around with the other staff and discussed Thanksgiving plans.

"What are you and your handsome son doing for Turkey Day?" a hygienist named Angela asked me.

I grinned immediately. "He has the whole week off from school. That's why I was so excited when Dr. Gerandy announced that he was giving us the entire week off. I think on Monday and Tuesday we're going to make hot cocoa and gingerbread men and watch holiday movies. I can't afford to go ice skating or anything. We're spending Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday with my dad in Forks. I'm ecstatic, to be honest."

"That sounds perfect," Angela agreed. "Ben and I are going to his parents' on Wednesday and Thursday. I'm spending Black Friday shopping with his mother." She rolled her eyes. "Maybe a blizzard will come and we won't be able to leave. He and I would much rather have a quiet Thanksgiving with Chinese takeout and a couple of beers, just snuggling."

"Sounds fun," I said. "Emerson makes wishes every night for a lot of snow, so maybe he'll prevent you from visiting your in-laws."

Angela laughed softly. "It's so cold outside that I wouldn't be surprised."

"I don't know," I said. "We haven't had a true blizzard since I've been in Seattle."

"The weather here can be surprising."

Though I wasn't a fan of snow, I had to admit that a week of being shut inside with Emerson and a blanket fort in the living room sounded nice.

Dr. Gerandy let us go home at three PM with a "Happy Thanksgiving, enjoy your week off." I didn't really want to go home. My money was so limited that trips to the playground and Wal-Mart were Emerson's only outings. He didn't seem to mind—it was all he knew—but I contracted cabin fever easily.

I wished I could go pick Emerson up and go drink hot cocoa with Rosalie but he had to spend the entire afternoon at school for the play. I detested window shopping and it was too cold to walk outside anyway, so I just drove home and decided to tidy up. The apartment looked a bit bland—really the only furniture was cheap and the decorations were all pictures of me and Emerson. _Maybe we should put up the Christmas tree early this year. Emerson would love that._

And then it hit me that _oh my gosh, Edward is picking me up at five thirty,_ so I jumped in the shower and washed my hair thoroughly. I even shaved my legs. It was way too icy outside, but I wanted to wear a dress. If Edward was going to pick me up and treat this silly little play like a date, I was going to dress for a date.

After I got out of the shower, I realized that I didn't even have a dress or a skirt. I lived in scrubs at work and jeans at home. So I called Rosalie.

"Hey," she greeted me. "Yes, Emmett and I are going to the play. I wouldn't miss it for the world."

"That's not what I was going to ask," I replied, "but thanks. That'll be great. Look, I _really_ need a cute outfit for tonight."

"Why…?" she asked, bewildered, until it hit her. "Oh my gosh, I get to meet Edward and Emmy tonight! So basically, I get to decide if you can date him!"

I snickered. "Actually, I've beat you to the punch. I'm going as Edward's date to the play."

"_What?_ Why didn't you tell me this?"

"Because it's not a real date. Do you have a blue dress that is winter-appropriate?"

"Of course I do. Why blue?"

I smiled like a fool. "He said he likes the color blue on me."

"Oh!" she exclaimed. "So you _did_ wear the sweater. I know, you don't have to tell me, I'm a genius."

"Rose," I said. "Focus. Blue dress. I don't want to look too dressy, but I want to look good."

"I have just the thing you need. I'll bring you a dress and heels right now. I can't wait to meet him!"

"See you in a few minutes."

Of course, Rosalie ended up doing my hair and makeup, but I had to admit I looked fabulous. The dress was perfectly casual yet pretty and the heels weren't even too high. She kept my hair in its natural waves, just pulling back the top and securing it with a silver barrette. She even brought me a long ivory coat.

At five fifteen, I kicked her out. I didn't want her hanging around when he picked me up, just in case he tried for a kiss or something. I didn't even know if he wanted me that way…but I could certainly dream.

The doorbell was perfectly punctual at five thirty. I answered it before I grabbed my coat.

His eyes were wide when the door opened. "Wow," he said. "You look…_really _pretty."

"Thanks," I beamed at him. "You look great as well."

He really did look good, in a navy suit with a white button-down shirt and a red tie. _Obviously someone else dressed up for the "date."_ _Or maybe he just dressed up for Emmy._

That thought disappeared as he held up a long-stemmed white rose. "I know that this is cheesy," he said a bit self-consciously, "but I give a yellow rose to Emmy after her 'big moments.' She seems to like it, so I thought maybe you would, too."

"It's gorgeous," I practically gushed. I had never received a flower from a man. "Come on in, let me put it in water."

I found a little glass and filled it with water. "I was just musing over the fact that my house needs a pick-me-up," I said happily. "This is a lovely little surprise." I left the rose in the water on the kitchen counter, so you could see it from the living room.

"I'm glad I could be of service," he joked. "You'll find that I'm a bit spontaneous."

"I wish I could make myself be spontaneous," I admitted, staring up at his face. I had always been attracted to tall guys. "Sometimes I think I live _too_ carefully, just to avoid heartbreak and trouble for Emerson."

"Everyone needs a daily dose of spontaneity," he said, staring back at me and tucking a curl behind my ear. I nearly shivered at the sweet contact.

"What does a daily dose usually entail?" I asked softly.

He flashed me his crooked grin. "Oh, the usual—a trip to Europe, skydiving, a motorcycle, one night stands with complete strangers…"  
"You'll have to share some of that spontaneity with me," I replied.

"If only," he agreed. "No, actually, spontaneity for me is staying in my pajamas all day with Emmy or letting her stay up past nine. Exciting, right?"

"Those are good doses," I insisted. "That's why she loves you."

He traced a finger on my cheekbone.

And once again, we were interrupted by my ringing phone.

"Fishsticks," I sighed as I pulled it out of my purse. Rosalie. "Hey, Rose," I said a bit acidly.

"Whoa, chill," my best friend said defensively. "I was just calling to ask if you still want us to sit with you at the play."

"Yeah, why wouldn't I?"

"Just wondering. I'll let you go enjoy your date. See you at the gym door. 'Bye!"

I rolled my eyes as I hung up. "My best friend," I explained. "She'll be at the play."

"We probably need to go," he said a bit sadly. "Friday night traffic."

"You're probably right."

I led him down the hall, which of course made my heart pound. I pulled the ivory coat out of the closet, and was pleasantly surprised when he gentlemanly helped me into it.

"Very nice car," I complimented him as he opened the passenger's seat of the silver Volvo for him.

He snorted. "I never thought I would drive a Volvo."

He hadn't even turned the engine off when he met me at the door, obviously keeping it warm for me. The car smelled of him—a musky fragrance, with a dash of something sweet. I noticed the single yellow rose lying on the dashboard.

There was a Beatles CD in the stereo. The song playing was "I Want to Hold Your Hand." And it was literally just _too_ appropriate. I felt like a middle school girl who was just dying to even touch a boy.

_Oh yeah, I´ll tell you something. I think you´ll understand when I say that something. I wanna hold your hand._

And then when Edward actually started to sing, I nearly fainted. He had the most beautiful voice I had ever heard in real life. It was smooth, velvety, and rich. He caught me staring at him.

"What?" he asked, blushing.

"You have a lovely voice," I said simply.

"Not really," he disagreed. "I'm good for lullabies for Emmy. That's it."

I snorted. "You're obviously tone-deaf when it comes to your own singing."

The school looked busy, with lots of parents and grandparents filing into the gymnasium. Rosalie and Emmett were at the door, obviously looking for me. "I'll go ahead and warn you," I said lowly to Edward as we approached them. "My best friend is extremely protective of me and Emerson. Don't be surprised if you get the Spanish Inquisition."

He laughed softly. "I'll prepare myself for it."

"Damn," Emmett said as I greeted them, giving Rosalie a hug even though I had just seen her a few minutes before. "Looking good, Bella."

"Thanks, but Rosalie looks so much better." I glanced around and realized that the four of us were the only ones who had dressed up. Oh well, that made it all the more fun. I gingerly took Edward's hand before introducing everybody. "This is my new friend Edward Cullen. Edward, this is my best friend Rosalie Hale and her boyfriend, Emmett McCarty. Rose teaches at Central Middle School, so you might meet her in six or seven years."

Rosalie's eyes were wide as she practically drank Edward's beauty in. "Oh, hi," she gushed, extending a hand. "I've heard _so much_ about you and your daughter."

"Oh, really?" Edward said teasingly as he shook their hands, flashing me a meaningful look.

"Only because I now have enough dinosaur knowledge to change my career to an archaeologist," I joked, blushing. "I didn't tell you about that very recent decision?"

"It must have slipped your mind."

Rosalie chuckled before winking at me. "Let's go get our seats. Honestly, I'm anxious to find out why I had to make a _frog_ costume for a Thanksgiving play."

Edward squeezed my hand, silently telling me that he didn't want me to let go. So I laced our fingers together as we followed Emmett and Rosalie to the closest seats we could find.

"I hope Emerson doesn't get stage fright," I said as Edward helped me take my coat off. We sat together, still holding hands.

"Emerson?" Rosalie asked incredulously. "Are you kidding me? He's the opposite of shy."

The lights dimmed then, so we sat back in our seats as the curtain opened.

It was a very cute but random play. It took place in a garden. The kids dressed as fruits and vegetables kept getting "picked" out of the garden, and they expressed their fears over the fact that their friends and family were disappearing. The kids dressed as frogs and flowers (including Emerson and Emmy) served as the choir of the play. The "flower fairies" did simple but cute dances as the frogs sang songs about giving thanks. Finally, at the end, it showed that every vegetable was helping the Pilgrims and Indians have a happy Thanksgiving.

It was kind of morbid, considering that the fruits and vegetables were supposed to be eaten, but cute nonetheless.

The big surprise for me, however, was when Emerson stepped in front of the rest of the frog choir and sang a solo. His voice didn't quiver or crack once. He found me in the audience and kept his eyes focused on me as his prepubescent voice hit the high notes. I literally started crying because he did so well. When he put the microphone down and returned to the choir, Edward put an arm around my shoulders and pressed a kiss to my cheek. "You okay?" he whispered in my ear.

I nodded wordlessly, the tears still flowing.

"He did great," he enthused

Rosalie was smirking as she watched us.

After the play, we went backstage to find our kids. Emerson ran to me in his frog costume, jumping into my arms. "Why didn't you tell me you had a solo?" I asked him, squeezing him tight and leaving kisses on his face.

"It's not a big deal," he tried to say casually, but he couldn't hide the smile on his face.

"You did so good, baby," I blubbered, the tears spilling over again.

"Thanks, Mom," he giggled, trying to dodge my kisses.

I held him close as Emmy ran to Edward. He made a big show of curtsying before her and offering her the yellow rose. She happily took it and attacked him with a big bear hug. He picked her up and spun her around.

It was too private and personal of a moment to watch. I turned away to face Rosalie and Emmett. They both praised Emerson lavishly, making him blush.

I was suddenly aware of eyes on me. I turned to see a woman—Mrs. Newton-watching us, her expression unreadable. She glanced over at Edward and Emmy, who were still having a daddy-daughter moment.

"I don't know why a single dad would waste money on a _rose_ for a _kindergartener_," Mrs. Newton said to Mrs. Stanley.

Mrs. Stanley snorted. "Well, it's because we have babies having babies," she rolled her eyes. "I bet he's head over heels in debt because he's too young to know better."

"The expression _paying for his mistakes_ comes to mind," Mrs. Newton said dryly.

Luckily, Edward didn't seem to notice them, but Rosalie sure did. My best friend gripped my wrist to keep me from walking over there. "Don't," Rose said simply. "Those witches aren't worth it."

"She called Emmy a _mistake_," I said through clenched teeth.

"Don't start a classroom feud, Bella."

"They aren't even congratulating their kids," I said in disbelief. "Poor Mike and Jessica. Their mothers are too busy gossiping to even notice them."

"What are you talking about?" Edward asked politely, holding Emmy in the crook of his arm.

"We're just gossiping," Rosalie said sweetly. "I promised Emerson ice cream sundaes at my house. Would you and Emmy like to join us?"

"Please?" Emerson said, gazing up at Edward. "Aunt Rosalie always has the _best_ ice cream."

Edward gave me his crooked smile. "I'm going to end up going into sugar shock if I keep hanging out with Bella, but sure. We would love to join."

Rosalie's house was as fun as ever. She really went all out with the sundaes, with lots of candy, syrups, and other toppings. After ice cream, Emerson and Emmy played hide-and-seek in her apartment. Edward was nervous about this at first, but Rosalie assured him that the apartment was childproofed for Emerson and she loved to have "the pitter-patter of little feet" in her house. (_Is Rosalie already getting baby fever with Emmett? _I wondered.) While the kids played, the adults drank coffee in the kitchen and even played a few rounds of cards. Edward charmed Rosalie endlessly, telling her funny and sweet stories about Emmy, and impressed Emmett with his knowledge of cars and sports. I had a feeling that Edward was a smash hit with my friends.

Finally, the kids once again passed out in the living room, so we knew it was probably time to go. Before Edward and I left, Rosalie pulled me into her bedroom, locking the door.

"I love him," she said simply. "Marry him."

I giggled. "Isn't he great?"

"He's _fabulous,_" she sighed happily. "If I didn't have the sexiest teddy bear alive, I would be after him. I bet you're going to get a kiss tonight."

I shrugged. "Who knows?"

Her pretty blue eyes slanted. "But don't let him get past first base. I know it's tempting with a fine piece of eye candy like that, but you don't need another kid."

I snorted. "Rosalie Hale, are you giving me the sex talk?"

"I mean it," she said firmly. "Kissing only until you're ready to commit—and until you're financially ready for another baby."

"Oh, and I bet that you and Emmett are only kissing," I said sarcastically.

She grinned guiltily. "I don't already have a kid."

"Okay, Mom, I'll go dig out my purity ring from ninth grade," I retorted, rolling my eyes. "Fat lot of good it did for me. But just in case you can't tell, Edward is a gentleman. I don't think he's going to try to get into my panties anytime soon. If he even wants to be with me."

Rosalie just smiled at me. "Oh, trust me: he _wants _to be with you. He's been touching you and gazing at you all night long. But that's no reason to move things too quickly. Think of Emerson."

"And think of that excellent figure of yours before Emmett stays the night," I shot back. "You wouldn't want a baby to ruin it."

"If it is a baby as great as Emerson or Emmy…"

"Oh, hush, Rose. You don't know how hard it is," I said as I walked back into the hallway.

"Ready to go?" Edward asked me, Emmy's sleeping head on his shoulder again.

"Ready," I said, lifting Emerson up and buttoning his coat on him.

In the car, Edward kept the music off so the kids could sleep, but we still spoke quietly.

"Rosalie is something else," he said.

I mustered up some bravery and put my hand over his on the gearshift. "That she is," I agreed. "She seems to be a big fan of you."

He turned his hand over so our fingers could intertwine. "You'll have to tell her I'm sorry, but I prefer brunettes."

That little comment was enough to send me to Cloud Nine. "Mmm?" I said, my throat dry with nerves. "Have you met a brunette you particularly like?"

"Oh, there's this one girl," he said playfully, "but she is already enamored with this guy named after a transcendental poet…"

I smiled wryly. "He sounds like some tough competition."

"I think he is. I have a plan, though."

"Every smart man has one."

He pulled up in front of my apartment and left the car running for Emmy. I pulled Emerson out of the backseat and carried him to the front door as I blindly searched in my purse for my keys. Edward walked me to the door like a gentleman.

"Thanks for tonight," I said. "I had a lot of fun."

Even in the dim porch light, I could see his eyes sparkle. "You know, I haven't been spontaneous today," he said suggestively.

"The rose wasn't spontaneous?" I asked lightly, already having a pretty good idea of where this was going.

"It wasn't a big enough dose," he clarified. "I need a bigger serving of impulse before I go to sleep tonight."

"Is there anything I can do to help you with that?"

He molded his hand to the side of my face. "May I kiss you goodnight?"

"You're asking permiss—"

He interrupted me by gently pressing his lips to mine. His red lips were unbelievably soft and smooth. My head began to whirl, and something I could only describe as _magic_ soaked my spine. It was a very chaste kiss that actually turned into several innocent kisses. Finally, he pulled away and stared into my eyes, his breath ragged and his emerald eyes smoldering.

"A gentleman usually asks for the first few kisses," he breathed in explanation.

"I don't think you have to ask permission anymore," I responded, my cheeks burning with pleasure. "I think I like spontaneity."

He smoothed some loose hairs out of my face. "Emmy and I are spending the weekend with my sister and her boyfriend," he said. "But I'd like to see you—and Emerson-again sometime after that."

"You have my number," I told him. "Just call me and we'll arrange another…play date."

"I think I like these play dates," he smiled at me.

"Or you could just call me just to talk," I continued. "If you're into that sort of thing."

He chuckled. "I'm _very_ into that sort of thing, especially if it involves _you_."

Emerson stirred in my arms. "I better go in," I said, unlocking the door. "He's probably getting cold. Call me."

"I will," he promised.

I stood on my tiptoes to kiss him again, and then I went inside. As I dressed Emerson in his pajamas, he woke up.

"Mommy?" he asked drowsily.

"I'm here," I said reassuringly, pulling his Superman shirt over his head. "Go back to sleep, sweetie."

"Did I do good tonight?"

"You were amazing," I told him, kissing his temple. "I'm so proud of you."

"Good," he smiled. "Emmy said I did good, too."

"Emmy is correct."

"Isn't Emmy good at dancing?"

"Yes, she is, baby." I laid his head on the pillow and tucked his blankets around him. "If you get too cold, come wake me up, okay?"

"I will," he said, eyes already closed. "Mommy?"

"Yeah?"

"I think Edward_ likes _you."

I chuckled. "Is that a bad thing?"

He shook his head. "No…night-night, Mommy. I love you."

"I love you so much, little man." I gave him a big kiss. "See you tomorrow. You don't have school for an entire week, so we can sleep in," I hinted. _As if that will ever happen._

He was already asleep.

I gave him another kiss before turning his light out. I went and kicked the heat up, praying it wouldn't stop working in the middle of the night. If it did, I was either going to have to take Emerson to Rosalie's apartment or drive to Forks.

After I hung Rosalie's clothes up, I put on my most comfortable sweats and crawled into my bed. For the first time in a long time, I felt truly lonely in my big empty bed. I ended up snuggling with one of my pillows.

Before I fell asleep, I received a text message from Edward:

_Still thinking about that kiss…I swore that Emmy would be the only woman in my life until she was older. What are you doing to me, you beautiful, enchanting, spellbinding girl?

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_**I don't know how frequent my updates will be now that I'm about to be in school again. Midterms are coming up...(shudders)**

**But I promised that _Aftershocks_ will be updated by Wednesday, so I'll keep that promise. _Play Dates_ might be postponed for a few days...**

**In the meantime, leave reviews and let me know if you have any ideas for more "play dates."  
**


	6. Phone Call

**So this is turning into more than a mini-story. But there aren't many chapters left. I think we'll hear Edward's POV in the next one, since that seems to be in high demand. I really can't believe I already have 91 reviews after five chapters. I'm loving the feedback!  


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Chapter Six: "Phone Call" Bella's POV**

I felt a little hand shake me from my sleep. "Mommy," a weak voice said. "Mommy, please wake up."

I opened my eyes and came face to face with the huge stain down my son's shirt. _That _woke me up. "Oh my god!" I said, sitting straight up. "Baby, are you sick? What's wrong?"

"I threw up in my bedroom," he said sadly.

"Okay, sweetie, come to the bathroom," I said, leading him by the hand. Once we were there, I stripped his soiled pajamas off and left him in his underwear. He sat by the toilet and rested his head on the side. I filled a paper cup with water and handed it to him, but he immediately turned to throw up some more into the toilet, spilling the water out of the cup and into the floor.

"Shh," I soothed him, rubbing his quivering shoulders as he emptied his little tummy. "It's okay, sweetie. Mommy is right here."

Finally, he sat back.

"Are you finished?" I asked him, smoothing his sweaty hair.

He nodded. His little face was white as a sheet and was extremely hot to the touch.

"You have a fever," I told him. "Let Mommy get you some more water."

"I'm sorry for spilling it," he said quietly.

"Baby, you know you don't have to apologize."

"But I threw up in my room—"

"Emerson, honey," I whispered, hugging him tightly. "I'm not mad at you. I'm just glad you woke me up so I can take care of you. I love you, sweetie. I love to take care of you. Now rinse your mouth out so we can go lay down. I'll bring you fresh pajamas."

He relaxed, gargled some water, and I carried him to the couch. He was shivering, so I covered him with a quilt. I took him a trash can, in case he got sick again. "Throw up in this," I instructed him. "I'll be right back."

_Ugh, _he had really made a mess in his room. I held my breath as I stepped over the puddle of vomit and to the closet. I pulled out his Buzz Lightyear pajamas and took them to him. He was practically limp as I dressed him-the poor kid didn't even feel like sitting up.

_Now comes the hard part._ I stayed silent as I went to the kitchen and found the necessary supplies. Emerson was very mature for his age in almost every aspect—except for when it came to medicine. That was when the baby really came out in him. He didn't like any form of medicine. He was a bear when it came to actually _taking_ medicine. He didn't even like to have his temperature taken. "Okay, Bella, you've got to toughen up," I told myself as I grabbed the Children's Motrin, the medicine dropper, and the thermometer. I didn't like to force anything on my little boy…

He gave me a terrified look as I walked to the couch. "No, Mommy, _please_…" He rolled over and hid his face in the pillow. "No," he sobbed. "Mommy, please don't make me…"

I sighed. He always became very emotional when he was physically sick. The littlest things upset him. "Emerson, baby. Stop. Turn over and look at me."

"_No!_"

I dropped my items in the floor next to me and used my hands to roll him over to face me. It wasn't difficult, but my heart nearly broke when I saw him. His face was red with tears. He _really_ hated medical care.

"Charlie Emerson Swan," I said firmly. "Listen to me. I _really_ don't want to punish you while you're sick."

He sniffled, his eyes darting around, trying to find the dreaded Motrin.

"I have to take your temperature," I said in a very clear voice. "Your temperature will tell me whether or not I need to take you to the doctor. Do you want to go to the doctor, or do you want to lay on the couch and watch Saturday morning cartoons?"

"I wanna watch _Batman_," he whispered.

"Then you need to let me take your temperature."

"I don't like it, Mommy…I don't like it _at all_…"

"I know you don't," I told him, my hand going back to his forehead. I didn't have to have a thermometer to know that he had a fever…but if he had a _bad _fever, then that could require a trip to the doctor.

_Please don't have a high fever. We can't afford this._

"But," I continued, "we all have to do things we don't like. I don't like cleaning people's mouths, but I do it so I can buy you food and toys. So can you put the thermometer under your tongue for me?"

He shook his head.

"Emerson," I sighed. "There is another way to take your temperature. It's very uncomfortable and humiliating. It's what they do to babies. You don't want to be a baby, do you?"

He looked like he was going to cry again.

"Fine," I bluffed. "Roll over on your stomach and I'll pull your pants and underwear down."

He blushed and gave a little gasp. _Finally some color in that pale face. _"No!"

"Then open your mouth."

He let out a grunt of frustration, balled up his fists, and hit the couch, but opened his mouth.

I popped the thermometer under his tongue. "I'm hoping that rude little outburst is a symptom of your sickness," I said disapprovingly. "I know that my sweet Emerson would never hit anything."

He only scowled at me and started to squirm. "Stop it," I warned him. "The way you're shaking the thermometer is only making this process longer."

Finally, the thermometer beeped. "101.3," I read. "So we're not going to the doctor…yet."

He let out a sigh of relief.  
"But you still have to take some Motrin," I said softly.

"_Mommy!_" he cried. "You _know _I hate it! It's yucky and you are _so mean!_"

He rolled back over and pulled the quilt over his head.

"Fine, we're going to the doctor. He'll hold you down and force you to take it."

"_No!_"

"Then roll back over and take the Motrin, Emerson."

"I _refuse_!"

I closed my eyes. _Bella, calm down. He's sick and he isn't thinking straight. You can't explode on him, no matter how difficult he is being._

Finally, I took a deep breath and said, "Emerson, you either take the Motrin or we're going to the doctor. And baby, if you want that bicycle for Christmas, we _cannot_ afford to go to the doctor. I'm already scrimping and pinching to buy that bicycle."

He peered out of the cover at me. "That's not fair."

"That's how life works, sweetheart."

He retreated back under the covers.

I grabbed the remote and turned the television on. Luckily, _Justice League _was already on. Hearing the familiar music, he poked his head back out to look at the TV.

I grabbed the Motrin and moved so his head was in my lap. "We're going to compromise," I informed him. "We're going to sit here and watch _Justice League, _but only if you promise to take a little bit of Motrin for every commercial break. If you don't take the Motrin, then I drag you to the doctor and you don't get to watch TV."

He let out a heavy sigh. "You're a mean mommy."

I tried not to cringe at his words, knowing he didn't mean them. "I'm sorry you feel that way," I said quietly, attempting to sound indifferent, even though it was really, really hard. "Make your decision."

"I'll watch _Justice League,_ but I'm not happy about it," he grumbled. "And I'll only take the Motrin if I can sit in your lap."

"I can live with that."

He moved so he was curled up in my lap, resting against me. I wrapped my arms around him. He was shivering because of his fever. To let him know that he was forgiven, I kissed his hair and rubbed his back soothingly.

Finally, a commercial came on. He tensed as I opened the Motrin and used the dropper to pull a little bit out. "Open your mouth," I told him.

He buried his face in my neck. "I changed my mind."

"Fine, we're going to the doctor. He might even give you a flu shot…you know, with a needle." He had inherited my fear of needles.

He sighed and gave in, tears sparkling in his eyes.

I managed to give him half a dose with the medicine dropper—yeah, he was such a baby about it that he used a dropper-but he made a show of gagging and refused to take any more until the next commercial break. However, he didn't feel good, so he wanted his mommy near him. I let him stay in my lap until I coerced him into taking the rest of the dose.

"Thank you for finally being a big boy about it," I told him, kissing his forehead. "I have to go clean up, but I'll be back. Call me if you start to throw up in the trash can."

He clutched at me until I pinky-promised him I would come back and hold him.

I went to his bedroom and scrubbed at the beige carpet with Clorox, trying to get the orange stain out. I sighed as I realized that I would have to have it shampooed. I wasn't angry with Emerson, of course. He was little and couldn't just keep himself from puking on the carpet. But I knew the office would give me trouble about it.

I called the office and asked them to send a maintenance man over to shampoo the carpet sometime over the weekend.

"That will be forty dollars," Jasmine told me methodically.

"Wait," I said. "Forty dollars? I can't afford that. And it's only one little square of carpet."

"That's the flat rate for a carpet cleaning, Bella," she replied.

"That's ridiculous. Isn't maintenance one of the things I pay for with my monthly rent?"

"_You're _the one who stained _our_ carpet."

"Uh, for your information, my five-year-old has a 101 degree fever and he accidentally threw up in his bedroom."

"I'm sorry to hear that," she said insincerely, "but it's the rule."

I wasn't about to back down. "I really want to talk to your supervisor. I'm not asking to have my entire apartment cleaned. I just need one patch of carpet to be cleaned so the germs won't stay in my child's bedroom and so _your_ carpet won't be permanently stained. And by the way, I'm a single mom who has an associate's degree. Every extra penny is going toward buying my baby one Christmas gift. I don't have forty dollars lying around!"

Jasmine told me that her supervisor would give me a call sometime. I let out quite a loud noise of disgust and dropped to my knees to scrub at the carpet some more.

My phone rang a couple of minutes later. I didn't even look at the caller ID before I answered it. "Hello?"

"Is it a bad time?" the musical voice asked me.

I instantly smiled. "Well, I'm scrubbing a vomit stain out of the carpet and my son is deathly afraid of a thermometer and Children's Motrin. But other than that, it's a peachy time."

"Uh oh," Edward replied. "There's a twenty-four hour bug going around. Call me back when the little guy feels better, okay?"

"No, it's fine," I assured him. "He's watching cartoons while I try to clean up. You're saving me from some pointless Clorox-ing. I thought you were busy today."

"I am. Alice is dragging us to the mall so she can buy Emmy an outfit for a Christmas party. Alice just went into a Victoria's Secret, and Emmy says it's not cool to be with your dad at the mall, so I'm avoiding the lingerie store by chilling at the food court…and I'm wishing I could buy some Chik-Fil-A chicken nuggets."

I chuckled. "Was the handsome and charming Edward Cullen just rejected?"

"Yeah, by quite a beautiful redhead. It really hurt my pride," he joked.

"I bet," I said.

"You never replied to my text message last night," he remarked. "It makes me nervous."

"I was half-asleep when I received it," I fibbed a little. "Plus I didn't know how to respond." That was actually the truth.

"That makes me _really_ nervous."

"No, trust me, that was the most adorable text message I've ever read," I said quickly. "But…well, I told myself the same thing—that Emerson would be my only man. And well, frankly…" I let the silence hang in the air as I searched for my words. Finally, I finished, "You're always in my head. And I'm not sure why. But I'm really attracted to you, and it's weird for me to be able to split my thoughts between Emerson and someone else."

"I know exactly what you mean," he said. "It's a foreign feeling."

I grinned as I moved and collapsed on Emerson's twin bed. "But it's a good feeling, too."

"Definitely," he agreed. "It feels so good to finally connect with someone who understands the importance of fabric softener and the pains and joys of being a single parent."

"I concur," I murmured. "And it's nice to have little doses of spontaneity…in between doses of Children's Motrin."

"Is it a fever?" he asked.

"Yeah," I groaned. "101.3. I'm really praying that we don't have to go to the ER."

"Alice's boyfriend had a similar virus recently," he said lightly. "It only lasted for twenty-four hours. I bet Emerson has the same thing."

"You're probably right, but it hurts me when my baby is so uncomfortable."

"Believe me—I totally understand, sweetie," he replied.

My heart turned somersaults at the term of endearment.

"I'll let you go be with him," Edward volunteered. "You can text me or call me if you need a moment away from the insanity of a sick child."

I giggled. "Okay. Have fun with your women."

"I'm missing a certain brunette, but I'll _try _to get her out of my head."

"I'm not sure I want to be out of your head," I said slyly.

He laughed sweetly. "The only better place for you is right next to me. We should still get together before Thanksgiving…Emmy already misses Emerson."

"I'm sure Emerson will have cabin fever after he recovers, so maybe we can go to the park or something," I suggested. "If this cold snap ever lets up."

"Darling, you're in _Washington_," he pointed out a bit condescendingly. "Cold snaps don't just happen in a snap."

"Guess I'm still an Arizona girl. The weatherman keeps hinting at snow, but I keep denying that it will happen. Maybe my denial will become reality."

He snickered. "Okay, Arizona. Give the little man a hug for me and tell him I hope he feels better. You will both be running through my head all day, I'm sure."

"Tell Emmy we said hi. 'Bye, Edward. It was nice chatting…we should do it again sometime."

"Definitely. See you later, beautiful girl."

I sighed happily as I clicked the end button. I gave up on the stain and went to clean up the water out of the bathroom. After I scrubbed the toilet, I went and poured a glass of Pedialyte.

"How's the tummy, Superman?" I asked softly, putting the bendy straw to his lips.

"I think it found Kryptonite," he said sadly before taking a hesitant sip.

I chuckled, put the drink on the coffee table, and moved him so he could lay his head in my lap. "You're one silly boy," I said affectionately. "You need to keep drinking the Pedialyte so you won't dehydrate. It's cherry-flavored, so it's yummy."

I softly stroked his hair as he watched cartoons. Finally, his fever seemed to break and he fell asleep. I quietly slid off the couch, tucking a pillow under his sweet little head, and went to the kitchen to make myself some brunch. I hadn't even considered my own needs all day.

I had one text from Edward waiting for me:

_And when I touch you, I feel happy inside. It's such a feeling that my love, I can't hide…yeah, you got that something I think you'll understand. When I feel that something, I want to hold your hand.

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_

**The Beatles obviously own the song "I Want to Hold Your Hand." I couldn't come up with something that epic.**

**Leave a review, please? I LOVE reviews; they seriously get me through the day.  
**


	7. Snow Day

**He was in high demand, so I present to you the mind of the DILF himself. Enjoy!

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****Chapter Seven: "Snow Day" Edward's POV**

_Emmy._

She always possessed the first thought of my day. I never thought I would ever love someone so much that I would literally think about them the minute when I woke up and the minute before I went to sleep—and every minute of the day between—but here I was. I certainly hadn't planned on being a single dad to the most feminine of little girls, but I wouldn't trade my life for anything.

On this particular Tuesday morning, I thought of Emmy because the apartment was strangely silent. I had worked extra hard to be able to take the week of Thanksgiving off so I could stay home with Emmy. Of course she always had my parents, my sister, and my sister's boyfriend as babysitters, but I loved our lazy days that consisted of sleeping in, watching Disney movies in our flannel pajamas, and multiple rounds of Candy Land. Luckily, my boss had been gracious in giving me the week off since I turned in all of my articles early.

But it was nine AM—which was quite late for me—and like I said earlier, my apartment was silent throughout. Emmy must have been either exhausted or growing to sleep that late…

I noticed that the apartment was extremely chilly. If I was cold, I knew that my small, delicate daughter was even colder. I ran down the hall and kicked the heat up before returning to my room.

I checked my phone for text messages or missed calls. As soon as I saw the name _Bella Swan,_ my heart went into overdrive.

Lately, Bella had been the other woman on my mind. To be perfectly honest, I really felt like she was indeed the _other woman_. I hadn't dedicated so much thinking to anyone but Emmy—not even my teenage relationship with Em's mother had garnered so many thoughts. I sort of felt like I was cheating on my daughter, but at the same time, I knew that I deserved a shot at my own life, too.

And it seemed like Bella Swan could be the perfect addition to my life…

Needless to say, I was a bit enchanted by Bella. There was just something about her. Maybe it was the way she was so dedicated to her own child…or the way she understood the beautiful life I had chosen when I had decided to keep Emmy…or maybe it was just her surreal beauty and charm. It was probably actually all three of those things, to be honest.

Just before I had fallen asleep, I had texted Bella to check on Emerson, who had a stomach virus. She had obviously replied much later in the night, because I had two text messages from her. The first read:

_Emerson is feeling much better, thanks for asking. He's already running around the house and praying for snow. Like that will happen._

The second read:

_Well, isn't Mother Nature just a son-of-a-nutcracker._

The second text had been sent at eight this morning. A bit confused, I peered out my window.

To my surprise, the ground was covered by a thick, shiny layer of snow, untainted by footprints or dirt. It was gorgeous. It was sparkly. It was _picturesque_.

The weatherman had been promising snow, but I hadn't believed it would come this early in the winter, and during such a rainy season. But there it was. Obviously Emerson's prayers had been answered.

I quickly ran to my daughter's room. She was asleep in her bed, tangled in the pink quilts, her wild bronze hair splayed out all over her pillow. I loved her hair more than all of her physical features; it was uniquely _mine. _During Tanya Denali's pregnancy, I had hoped that our child would inherit her mother's blonde hair, but as soon as I saw my daughter's flaming red wisps, I never dreamed of blonde hair again. Somehow, it made her more real. It made me believe that there really was a part of me in this angel.

"Emmy," I said, gently shaking her. "Come on, love, wake up."

"Not right now, Daddy," she replied sleepily, rolling over.

"Let's go play in the snow," I said, and she instantly sat up.

"Snow?" she squealed. "Where?"

"Outside, silly," I teased her, kissing her face. "Hurry, before it starts to rain!"

She ran to the window, an adorable expression of pure happiness on her face. "Daddy, let's go!"

I laughed. "Breakfast first, angel."

She gave me a pouty look. "_Daddy_…"

"One bowl of oatmeal," I promised her.

She grumbled all the way to the kitchen. I warmed us both a bowl of oatmeal in the microwave as she sat impatiently at the kitchen table.

As soon as I sat in the chair next to her, she tried to grab the bowl of oatmeal.

"No, not yet," I said, holding it out of her reach.

"_Daddy_, you're wasting my time!"

"I haven't had a _good morning_ kiss."

She rolled her eyes and stretched to give me a sweet kiss before demanding her oatmeal. Laughing, I gave her the bowl and she nearly inhaled it.

She was even more impatient as I helped her dress for the snow. I insisted on her pink snowsuit, which she thought was unnecessary. She drew the line at two pairs of socks for her boots, though. "Daddy," she sighed. "I'm not a _baby_."

"No, but you do weigh thirty-six pounds," I pointed out. "You're going to freeze into an Emmy Popsicle."

That made her giggle, but I understood that maybe two pairs of socks was really too much.

I quickly dressed in warm clothing and grabbed my camera. After Emmy had been born, I couldn't stop taking pictures of her with my cell phone and sending them to my friends (which I now realize was very uncool for a seventeen-year-old boy, not that I cared). So my parents had bought me a fantastic new Canon Rebel for Christmas, along with a printer that printed out actual pictures. I had become an avid photographer of all things Emily Juliet Cullen. Of course a snow day would require the camera.

Emmy looked like some kind of caged animal as she jumped up and down at the door, waiting for me. Finally, I grabbed her inhaler from the kitchen—just in case—and opened the front door. She ran out as fast as her little legs could carry her, her knit cap doing little to tame her curls. I laughed and snapped pictures as she ran all over the snow, picking it up and throwing it in the air, and finally stopping to make a snow angel.

"Daddy, play with me," she begged, giving the camera a gorgeous smile. After five years of near-constant photo ops, she knew how to pose.

"Of course," I said, looping the camera strap around my neck and taking off after her. She squealed in delight and ran from me, purposely kicking snow toward me. I fashioned a snowball and chunked it toward her.

"Show me how to do that!" she exclaimed, thrilled at the new trick.

I crouched down beside her and showed her how to pack snow between her mittens. Her first attempts were poor, but she finally got the hang of it and used a tree as target practice.

"Come take pictures with me," I encouraged her, lifting her up into one arm and turning the camera on us. We smiled together as I clicked pictures, and she accepted a few kisses for me. Of course, she was probably only posing because she knew that her grandfather would end up with copies of the pictures.

We played for a little while longer. I was amazed that the snow wasn't melting away. But Emmy got bored with me.

"I wonder what Emerson is doing," she mused as she tasted some snow.

"I don't know," I admitted before an idea came to me. "Want to find out?"

She nodded happily.

Bella had mentioned that she needed more spontaneity, so I was going to give it to her. She only lived a couple of blocks away from me, so why not show up at her house and surprise her? I knew she was awake from her text, and she had said that Emerson felt much better…

"Let's go find out," I decided, taking Emmy's hand.

She was thrilled with the idea. She skipped down the sidewalk ahead of me, sometimes stopping to observe other people playing in the snow. She was an incredibly bright little girl and (I thought) she noticed things that other kids didn't. She loved to people-watch.

Finally, we made it to Bella's apartment complex. I held Emmy's hand as we crossed the street to the Swan apartment. I rang the doorbell and waited for about thirty seconds.

The door opened, and one of the most adorable creatures I had ever seen stood there.

Her brown hair clearly was a _bedhead_, messy curls framing her shocked face. She wore an ensemble of yoga pants and a t-shirt that actually looked flattering on her petite figure. And she had black-framed glasses that just added to the overall charm of early-morning Bella.

She briskly closed the door in my face, making Emmy giggle.

"Well, that's not the reaction I was hoping for," I murmured.

"She's embarrassed because you saw her without makeup on," Emmy informed me, her knowledge of the female species already shining.

"She's pretty without makeup on," I replied. Bella actually wasn't much of a makeup girl, from what I had seen of her.

"Yeah, but girls don't always know that," my wise daughter insisted. "She's not like a dinosaur. She can't impress others with her growl or her size."

Emerson opened the door then, fully dressed. "Mom said to come in. She's getting dressed."

"Thanks, buddy," I told him before reminding Emmy to stomp the snow off her boots. When we were as clean as possible, we entered the warm, cozy apartment.

"Come play in the snow with me," Emmy begged her friend.

"I will," Emerson promised her. "As soon as my mom comes out. Come look at our Christmas tree! We put it up early this year."

"Cool!" Emmy replied before running with Emerson to the next room. I followed more slowly, wishing Bella wouldn't feel so self-conscious about her appearance. She always looked beautiful.

It was a modest artificial tree decorated with Wal-Mart ornaments. Bella had managed to make it look stylish with colorful balls, lights, and candy cane ornaments, but Emerson had obviously begged for the plastic superhero ornaments. There were little Batmen, Supermen, Spidermen, Ironmen, Green Lanterns, Flashes, Wonder Women, and even Captain Americas. It was a great mix of the Swans. They had also made popcorn chains to go around the tree. It wasn't elaborate, but it was still cute and festive-looking. (Yeah, I use the word _cute_…call it the curse of raising a daughter.)

Finally, Bella came into the living room, looking much more put-together. She was wearing jeans and a thick sweater, her hair brushed and pulled out of her face with bobby pins. Her long curls were hanging down her back rather than all around her.

"Hi," I said. "I hope we aren't interrupting anything. That was rather rude of us to just show up."  
"Not rude, just unexpected," she insisted. "Sorry for slamming the door in your face…I looked like a swamp monster, and I _really _didn't want you to see me like that."

"I thought it was unbelievably cute," I admitted. "And I haven't even shaved or brushed my hair today, so don't feel bad."

She giggled. "I like the stubble, and at least your hat covers your hair. So I guess you're here to pull me out into that white wet stuff?"

"Exactly," I nodded. "Before it melts."

"_Please, Mom?_" Emerson begged, pulling the old puppy-dog-eyes trick.

"Of course we can," Bella told him. "Let's go get you dressed."

They emerged in full winter gear a few minutes later. Bella wore a blue puffy coat with a white knit set of a hat, a scarf, and gloves. She looked like a model for a ski lodge or something.

Emmy and Emerson bounded out the door. I offered Bella my hand, which she happily accepted, and we walked out together, my camera hanging from my neck.

"Nice Canon," she commented, smiling as the kids ran and tumbled in the snow.

"Thanks. It was a gift from my parents. I use it to document the everyday life of Emmy."

"Are you a skilled photographer?"

"I'll let you come over to my house for dinner, and you can look at the thousands of pictures and tell me what you think," I grinned at her. "Emmy has grown up in front of the camera. Do you mind if I take pictures of Emerson?"

"Not at all. I might request some copies, though."

Bella and I laughed together as I photographed the kids as they played. They had a poor version of a snowball fight and made snow angels together. Finally, Bella suggested making a snowman. Of course, she didn't really know how, since she was still a Phoenix girl at heart. I had grown up in the north, though, so I was a snowman expert.

Emerson and Emmy called themselves "helping" me as I rolled up the different body parts of the snowman. It was hard work and had me winded when we finally stacked the three snow mounds on top of each other. Bella ran in the house and found a baseball cap, some buttons, and a celery stick.

"Quite an unconventional snowman," I teased her as she made the celery stick into a nose.

"Oh, hush," she replied, fashioning a mouth out of the buttons. "I don't have any huge carrots lying around."

"He's beautiful," Emmy decided when we were finished. "I think we should name him."

"Optimus Prime," Emerson suggested, which earned him a nudge from his mother.

" Lillian," Emmy said instead.

"He's a boy," I argued. "He needs a manly name like…George."

Bella giggled. "George?"

I turned to look at her, the sound of her giggle entrancing me. She was beautiful in the cold weather, with rosy cheeks and windblown hair that danced around her face. Her chocolate eyes were wide as they watched me back. I think our kids grew tired of our staring, because they scampered off together in search of sticks to make arms for the nameless snowman.

I put a cold hand to her cheek. "You're gorgeous."

Her skin turned even rosier. "No, I'm really not…"

"Yeah, you really _are_," I replied, my eyes flitting over to Emmy and Emerson. They were distracted by their quest for snowman supplies. I pulled Bella closer to me and bent to brush my icy lips against hers.

The kiss was just as sweet as it had been Friday night. She wrapped her arms around me in a tight hug, leaning her head on my chest. I pulled the camera away from us and turned it so I could snap some pictures of us together.

She laughed after about the fifth picture, which I'm sure made for another beautiful photo. "You know that these are going to look horrible, right?"

I rolled my eyes playfully. "I know what I'm doing."

She pursed her lips in a moue and bent to grab a handful of snow. She suddenly threw the snowball in my face, nailing me.

"Gotcha," she grinned before running away.

"Oh, you're in trouble!" I called after her before scooping up some snow of my own. I bombarded her with loosely-packed snowballs, making the white frost coat her hair and coat. She looked like some kind of snow angel running in the grass clearing. She started to throw snow back at me, and finally I tackled her and pinned her under me.

"I surrender!" she shouted, laughing as I started to shovel snow on top of her with my hands. "I surrender! Don't bury me alive!"

I laughed, pecked her ruby-red lips, and then helped her up. She pretended to pout as I helped brush the snow off of her.

It had been a long time since I had been a player in these flirtatious little games. I had missed them, even though they were more fun than ever with Bella.

I was suddenly made aware of Emerson calling, "Edward! Mom!" I looked over and saw my little girl sitting on the snow, her mouth open as she gasped for air.

"Oh, god," I said, running for Emmy. I scooped her up, cradling her in my arms while keeping her upright.

"What's wrong?" Bella asked in alarm.

"Asthma attack," I explained. "It's okay, Emmy, I have your inhaler, sweet girl. Can we use your heat?"

"Of course," she said, leading us to the apartment. I stepped in and carried Emmy to the couch, sitting her in my lap. I pulled her inhaler out of my zipped coat pocket, grateful that I was once again an overprotective parent.

Emmy was trying to slow her breathing to match mine, as we had practiced many times. I pulled her coat, hat, and scarf off of her, knowing that the heat would be too much. After I yanked my coat off, I aligned her with my torso and shook the inhaler.

She knew exactly how to use it. She focused on exhaling like a trooper before putting it to her mouth. She inhaled as she squirted the medicine tube.

"Ten…nine…eight…" I counted softly for her, kissing her hair. "Seven…six…five…four…three…two…one…exhale, my love. Breathe with me."

Emmy literally breathed a sigh of relief as the albuterol soaked her lungs and allowed them to open up again. I focused on rationing the deep breaths she was supposed to copy, my chest and stomach rising and falling behind her. Finally, she matched her breathing to mine so our respiratory systems were moving in synchronization.

"You're okay," I said, kissing her again. "That one wasn't bad at all."

Bella was watching from a few feet away, her arm around Emerson. "Do you need anything?"

"A glass of water would be wonderful," I replied. "Breathe with me, Emmy."

"I'm okay, Daddy," she assured me, her voice still a bit weak and airy.

"Let's do it one more time."

We went through the same routine again and finally, we were both breathing easier, though for different reasons.

"Are you okay?" Emerson asked timidly.

She nodded. "I'm fine. I'm just asthmatic." She sipped at the water Bella had brought her. The albuterol didn't taste good.

"You're a brave girl," Bella said sincerely.

She shrugged, unimpressed by her latest asthma attack. "My bronchi just had to be relaxed by the albuterol. I've had to go to the emergency room before."

Bella looked up at me, her brown eyes wide. I nodded with a sigh. "Those were a few of the scariest moments of my life."

Emmy rolled her eyes. "Daddy, I was _fine_. Asthma isn't that bad. Can we go back outside?"

"Not right now," I said gently. "We were out there for too long, anyway. I know that my chest hurts from the cold."

"Let's take our coats off and put them by the door," Bella suggested, "and I can make some hot cocoa. Do you like marshmallows, Emmy?"

"Very much! Daddy makes oatmeal that has egg-shaped marshmallows, and when you heat it, the eggs turn into marshmallow dinosaurs!"

Bella chuckled. "Wow! I've never heard of that before. Edward, you can put in a movie for the kids if you want." She was gathering up everyone's wet coats and shoes.

They decided they wanted to watch _101 Dalmatians_, so I put that DVD in and then joined Bella in the kitchen.

"I didn't know Emmy is asthmatic," Bella commented as she stirred the hot cocoa in the pot on the stove.

"She doesn't like for everyone to know," I admitted.

"She really went to the ER?" the lovely girl in front of me asked fearfully.

I nodded. "Yeah…on several occasions, actually. It's not that uncommon for asthmatic kids. I'm lucky that she's so mature about it at only five years old. She insists on operating her own inhaler and even keeps one in her backpack at school."

"You're not lucky," Bella stated. "You're just a good dad for raising her to be so mature about it."

I shrugged. "Emmy has always been very independent. It's in her nature. But really, that wasn't even a bad attack. Don't worry."

"Would you like to stay for lunch?" Bella asked me, her tone lighter now that she realized the "emergency" was over.

"Are you sure…?"

"Of course," she rolled her eyes. "I was thinking grilled cheese sandwiches and chicken noodle soup."

"That sounds amazing," I admitted. "But when am I going to have you over for dinner?"

She gave me a sly smile. "Well, I plan on seeing you for a while, so we'll find time."

* * *

We spent the day like I had planned spending with only Emmy—watching Disney movies, playing board games, and eating winter-appropriate foods. I unveiled new shades of Bella's personality as the day went by, and I realized that I was quickly falling for her. She was just such a kind person, all wrapped up in a pretty package.

Emmy and I left earlier than usual, because Bella mentioned that she and Emerson were driving down to Forks to spend the rest of the week with her father. I discreetly kissed her while Emmy and Emerson were distracted by a passionate discussion about…dinosaurs. (What a surprise.) She promised me she would let me know when she made it to Forks so I wouldn't have to worry about car accidents or anything.

"Face it," I teased her. "I'm a chronic worrier."

Emmy was understandably exhausted, so after I tucked her in with a sweet lullaby, I retreated to the living room and began the long process of printing out all of the quality pictures on the memory card. There were some beautiful ones of Emmy I needed to frame. I made Bella copies of the ones with Emerson—of course, those were unbelievably cute as well. Emerson Swan was one photogenic kid, and his bright personality showed in the pictures.

I gasped as I saw the prints of me and Bella. We already looked like a couple, with my arm around her and her head resting on my shoulder. Her beauty lit up the entire picture. It even complimented me.

I realized as I studied the pictures that it wasn't because her ivory skin matched mine, or because her brown hair looked nice with my reddish stubble. It was because there was something sunny that naturally bubbled out of Bella, and it reflected on me.

It was happiness.

When I was with Bella, I was happy. Period.

Not that I was an unhappy person. I loved a human being more than any other person ever loved _anyone—_the object of my affection just happened to be my daughter. But I now realized that something was missing. I needed a woman, a mate, a partner. I had been lonely for too long.

I picked my favorite of the Bella pictures—the one where she was resting her head on my shoulder and laughing—and stuck it onto my refrigerator with a magnet, right next to a picture of a three-year-old Emmy picking flowers from my mom's garden. Now I had two favorite pictures.

* * *

_I loved writing this chapter. There will be a few more Edward chapters with a lot more fluff._

_Leave a review!_


	8. The Family

**Chapter Eight: "The Family" Edward's POV**

Emmy and I were a bit bored the day after our big snow day with Bella and Emerson. The inevitable Washington rain had washed away all traces of the once-beautiful snow. It was still raining outside, so we had to stay indoors. Emmy played quietly in the floor with her Barbie doll and Ken doll—yes, she only had one of each—and carefully arranged the perfect wedding for them. I kicked back on the couch with a tattered copy of _Brave New World _by Aldous Huxley. It had been a favorite of mine since junior year in high school.

However, my mind kept wandering back to Bella.

"What are you reading, Daddy?" Emmy asked conversationally. As silly as it sounds, it was a bit of a relief to hear her speak. Her chatterbox had been mostly silent all day, probably from boredom and exhaustion from yesterday.

"_Brave New World._ It's about the future," I explained.

"Can you read it to me?"

I snorted. "Uh, it's not exactly appropriate for a five-year-old. Plus I think you would find it boring. It's about the government."

She crinkled up her nose. Politics was a frequent topic at my parents' dinner table, but Emmy wasn't particularly interested yet. Which was good—she was already filling her little brain up with scientific facts, my worries over money, and plans for a real-life Jurassic Park. She didn't need to implode her brain with the national debt and the debate on stem-cell research.

My phone rang then. Immediately hoping it was Bella, I leapt off the couch and tripped over the ottoman as I ran to retrieve it. Emmy giggled and called me "Grace"—the name my sister's boyfriend called her whenever she tripped.

But it wasn't Bella calling. It was my mom. "Hey," I answered it, a bit disappointed.

"You sound morose," she observed.

"I'm _bored_."

She laughed lightly. "Can I come over and use your oven? Mine quit working this morning. Carlisle is getting it fixed today so our Thanksgiving won't be ruined, but I want to get a head start with casseroles."

"Of course," I said. "I bet Emmy would love to help."

"Ooh, great idea! I'll be there in a few minutes! Love you!"

Leave it to Esme Cullen to assure me of her love when she was going to see me within fifteen minutes.

After I hung up, I went and tidied up the kitchen, clearing counter space for her. "Grandma is coming over," I told Emmy after poking my head in the living room.

"Yay!" she said happily, changing her Barbie out of a wedding dress and into a pink one. "Daddy, why doesn't my Barbie have any bridesmaids?"

I sighed quietly. "Because bridesmaids are expensive, Ems. I'll try to buy you a new Barbie for Christmas, but I can't make any promises. You still want that pair of roller skates, don't you?"

She nodded eagerly.

"I'm trying," I told her simply.

"I know you are, Daddy," she said softly. "I didn't mean to make you upset."

"I wish I could buy you more toys," I replied. "But we're doing just fine. You have a full belly and a clothed body and a daddy who loves you more than his own life. That's all you really need."  
My mom entered the living room then, and Emmy immediately brightened up. "Hey, Grandma!" she exclaimed, running to hug my mother's legs.

"Hello my darling," my mom greeted her, kissing the top of her head. "Do you want to help me in the kitchen?"

"Yeah!"

"Clean up your mess," I told my daughter gently before going to the kitchen with my mom. "Oh, Mom, I have some snow day pictures for you and Dad. Some rather good ones, actually."

"Would they make cute Christmas cards?"

"I think they would. I'll be right back."

I ran and rifled through the new prints, picking out the absolute best ones. After I made copies of them, I went back to the kitchen, where Emmy was blabbering like the chatterbox everyone knew.

"And then we built a snowman!" she was saying. "Emerson wanted to name him some silly name, and I tried to name him Lillian—Lily for short—but Daddy said his name was George. Isn't that a goofy name for a snowman? Have you ever met a snowman named George, Grandma?"

"I met one named Frosty," Mom said lightly before turning to me with wide eyes. "Who is Bella, Edward?"

"Emerson's mom," Emmy explained. "Emerson is my new friend."

I cringed. "Emmy, have you been talking Grandma's ear off?"

"She has," Mom said dryly, her green eyes studying me carefully. "And I've heard _a lot_ about a woman named Bella."

"Emmy, will you go make sure the front door is locked?" I asked my daughter.

"Sure, Daddy!" She ran down the hallway.

"Bella is a friend," I said lamely, leaning against the counter.

Mom snickered. "Darling, you're blushing. Bella is so much _more _than a friend! How have I not heard about this?"

"Because I've known her for two weeks," I replied, fighting the urge to roll my eyes.

My mom suddenly jumped up and down, squealing. "Invite her to Thanksgiving dinner! Please, love, please!"

I laughed. "Mom, calm down. We're not serious at all. Our kids just play together. And she is spending Thanksgiving with her father."

"Then invite her over for Sinterklaas!" Mom begged. "Please, Edward? This makes me so excited!"

I placed my hands on her small shoulders. "Mom, don't make a big deal out of this. Don't jinx it for me."

"Tell me everything about her," Mom begged, guiding me to the kitchen table. The casseroles were already forgotten.

I sighed, rolling my eyes. I didn't care if Mom was annoyed by that. "She's twenty-one, single, and has a five-year-old son named Emerson. She's beautiful, a fantastic mother, and she's adorable in just about every way possible. We hang out together when our kids have play dates. You're blowing things wildly out of proportion."

"How did you meet her? Is her son in Emmy's class?"

I shook my head. "No, we met at the playground, and then had a chance encounter in Wal-Mart that led to an ice cream outing."

There was something dreamy in my mother's eyes. "Can we please meet her? Soon? Sinterklaas, maybe?"

I bit my lip. "You, Dad, and Alice are only going to scare her away with your enthusiasm, nosy questions, and tendencies to over-share."

"We'll behave ourselves," Mom promised me. "I _have _to meet this girl. December fifth, Edward. Maybe they could spend the night since it's a Friday…it could be a lot of fun! Think of how her son would love the shoe game!"

I sighed as I considered this. Sinterklaas, also known as December 5-6, was a favorite Cullen holiday. My father's Dutch grandmother had always celebrated with him when they lived in London, and he continued the tradition with his children. Basically, on December 5, children are supposed to leave their shoes by the fireplace and Santa Claus would come and leave candy in their shoes for them to find the next morning. However, my mother and father had blown the whole holiday up into something bigger. We always had a feast on the fifth much like Christmas dinner. The whole family—Dad, Mom, me, Emmy, Alice, and her boyfriend Jasper—would spend the night and we would all "magically" have candy in our shoes. I thought that twenty-two was a bit old to play "the shoe game" but Mom and Dad even left their shoes out, even though they were the ones to fill them with the candy.

I had to admit that it sounded fun. Emerson would probably love it, and it would be a fun way for Bella to meet my family. However, my family could be extremely overbearing and nosy.

Plus I had no idea how Bella would react to spending the night in a stranger's house. We had only known each other for two weeks, after all.

"Let me think about it," I sighed to Mom. "I don't know about the spending the night thing. Maybe we should cut it short to December fifth this year."

"You're a tactful man," she said, grinning a bit wickedly. "You'll figure it out."

"Thanks."

"So have you kissed her yet?" Mom asked me, leaning forward in her chair, resting her delicate manicured hands on her knees.

"I'm not discussing this," I replied, going to the refrigerator.

"Wait, is that her?" Mom gasped, pointing to the fridge door.

I snickered and plucked the picture of us off the refrigerator. "Behold the woman you're going to scare away permanently."

Mom examined the picture carefully. "She's beautiful, Edward."

"I know," I replied quietly, a silly, goon-ish grin on my face. I couldn't quite wipe it off.

"And she looks so happy with you."

"Two weeks, Mom," I rolled my eyes. "We haven't had enough time to be 'with' each other."

"I bet you have kissed her," Mom teased me, still looking at the picture.

I felt the tops of my ears grow red.

Emmy then ran into the kitchen, her pink polka-dotted apron tied crookedly on her little body. "Who did you kiss, Daddy?" she asked, a bit horrified.

I scooped her up and placed a kiss on her cheek. "Only you," I fibbed before blowing a raspberry on her throat. "You're my little lady."

"Emmy, would you like to have Emerson and Bella over to Grandma's house for Sinterklaas?" Mom asked casually and devilishly.

My little girl suddenly started to bounce in my arms. "Yes! Oh, please, Daddy? I'll call Emerson right now!"

I laughed. "You don't have a phone, and neither does Emerson. Let me think about it, love."

Emmy suddenly widened her green eyes and started to bat her eyelashes. "Daddy," she said softly, sticking her lip out. "It could be so much fun. I never get to have friends over."

Dang that pout she had picked up from Mom and Alice. In the Cullen family, the women always got their way. Dad, Jasper, and I were putty in their capable hands.

I sighed and surrendered. Totally pleased with themselves, Mom and Emmy began to cook together.

I went in the living room and tried to figure out how to justify meeting my family to a girl I had known for half a month.

* * *

_I know, it was short. Forgive me._

_Thanks for helping me make it to 100 reviews. Can we go higher? I love you guys!_


	9. Surprise

**Chapter Nine: "Surprise" Bella's POV**

"Good night, sweet boy," I whispered to my sleeping son, being sure to tuck the blankets tightly around him. He smiled in his sleep as I kissed his forehead. I knew he was comfortable and warm in my old bedroom at my father's house, and he was especially happy that he was hanging out with his grandpa for a few days.

Life was pretty good, I had to admit. I had a lot to be thankful for.

I walked down the stairs to find Charlie flipping through the television channels. When I returned to my spot on the couch with the afghan I had knit for him years ago. My father was not a very verbose man—we cohabitated happily, but with few words-so it surprised me when he turned off the television and turned in his recliner toward me.

"So, tell me about this Edward I keep hearing about," he said, a blush already touching the tops of his ears.

_My_ blush suddenly took over a lot more than my ears. "W-what?

"While you were at the Thriftway, Emerson kept talking about a girl named Emmy and her father, Edward. How you guys made a snow man and baked cookies and I don't know what all."

I cleared my throat self-consciously. "Emmy is his friend, and Edward and I arrange play dates for them."

"You sure you're not arranging more than play dates?"

"We just met," I replied. "And you know how I feel about focusing on Emerson. I really don't want to fall for another rotten apple like Emerson's father."

"Are you sure Edward is a rotten apple?" he asked me, surprising me with his sudden insight to his daughter's private life. "Emerson described him as _awesome_ and _cool_ and _really nice_. And Emerson is awfully protective of you already…"

"There is nothing rotten about Edward," I said confidently, "but I'm not rushing into anything." I picked up my novel, trying to convey the message that this conversation was over.

"Bells, honey, I worry about you living in Seattle by yourself," Charlie admitted. "I would love for you to find a good man."

"You don't have to worry about—"

"I really do. You're all alone in that big city, scrimping and pinching to make ends meet. I would even accept you living with a boyfriend as long as he could take care of you two."

I sighed. "I would love to get married, but right now Emerson is my main man."

"Give Edward a chance," Charlie told me. "Your son loves him already. That's a good sign."

I gave him a teasing grin. "Dad, since when do you trust a man within a five feet radius of me?"

He chuckled. "I just want you to be happy and taken care of, honey."

"I know. And by the way, you're taking care of me just fine. You didn't have to send me that cash in the mail. It was unnecessary but so appreciated."

"Of course I did!" he exclaimed. "I want my grandson to have a good Christmas. What are you buying him?"

"A bicycle, a helmet, and pads," I explained. "It's quite expensive, but I've been saving ever since he took the training wheels off of his old bike. I'm glad I did start to save, because he's way too big for the old bike."

"Every boy should have a bike," Charlie agreed. "I thought I would buy him one of those crazy handheld video games. What are they called?"

"The Nintendo DS?"

"Yeah. They have them on sale in Port Angeles. If you want, I'll buy it and you can give him the DS and I'll give him the bike."

"You know you have to buy games for it separately, right?"

"Yeah," he said, sounding almost offended that I questioned his knowledge. "I thought maybe two or three games could start him out on it. Kid-friendly games, of course. I don't like the violent stuff where you can kill cops."

I giggled. "I don't like that stuff, either. Well, I don't think we'll have to trade gifts, because I _was _planning on spending Christmas with you anyway…"

He gave me a bright smile. "Really?"

I nodded. "Yeah…so we'll just wrap them all and put them under the tree. He doesn't have to know who gave him what."

"Thanks, Bells," my dad grinned. "That makes me really excited."

"That makes two of us," I said. "Three, if you count Emerson. He loves coming down to Forks."

"You know, I think it's very admirable that you don't tell him Santa Claus brings his gifts," he said randomly. "It's not easy to explain to a child why Santa brought little Johnny a bike, video games, a TV, a trampoline, and a puppy…and why Santa only brought Emerson only two of those things."

"That's exactly why I've never played Santa," I replied. "But I tell him that it's our little secret…I don't want him to blab and tell his classmates that Santa doesn't exist."

Charlie nodded. "You're a wonderful mother, Bells. I just wish you could find Emerson a good father."

* * *

Thanksgiving was wonderful. We didn't want to leave Charlie's house, but of course school and work were waiting on us. Emerson slept on the whole drive back to Seattle while I played Christmas music.

When I made it to our apartment, I woke him up so he wouldn't sleep the day away. He sleepily held my hand as we walked to our apartment.

To my surprise, there was a note on the door.

Of course my first thought was, _Oh, god…my rent check bounced._

"What's that, Mommy?" Emerson asked me.

"I don't know," I replied warily as I unlocked the door and pulled the note off. "Why don't you hang your coat up while I turn the heat on, and then we can make some chicken nuggets and French fries for lunch."

"Okay!" My son loved chicken nuggets. He immediately took off running for the coat closet.

I opened the folded note. Inside was a message scrawled in a beautiful script that could only come from a writer:

_Look in the mailbox for a surprise._

A smile instantly sprang to my face. I knew exactly who the note was from. I opened the mailbox and found a few items: a long-stemmed white rose, two bags of gummy bears, and an envelope.

"_What?_" I murmured in true surprise. How did Edward know that Emerson and I loved gummy bears?

It was freezing and beginning to sprinkle, so I ran inside and to the Thermostat. I kicked on the heat and stripped my coat off. My sweet son had already hung his coat up and was waiting in the kitchen. "What's all of that, Mommy?" he asked me, eyeing the gummy bears.

"A surprise from Edward," I said absentmindedly. "You can have some after lunch."

"Awesome!"

I giggled as he ran to his bedroom. I put the rose in a glass of water and finally tore open the envelope.

One ticket to "A Midsummer Night's Dream" fell into my hands, along with a note.

_May I have the honor of a "play date" between the two of us literature nerds?_

I glanced at the ticket. The date was for Friday at seven thirty PM. I wondered how much this ticket had cost, and then I realized that I couldn't accept this gift. Edward struggled as much as I did with money.

I grabbed my phone and dialed his number. It rang once before he answered it. "Hey, beautiful," he said, a smile in his voice.

"Hey," I replied, my heart pounding at his compliment. "We made it home from Forks safely."

"Good!" he said. "How was your holiday?"

"It was wonderful," I admitted, going to the fridge and finding a bag of chicken nuggets and a bag of French fries. "It was nice to hang out with my dad. But I found a very sweet present in my mailbox…"

"Oh, yeah? Who was it from?"

I snorted. "Edward, I can't accept this gift. It's too—"

"Miss Swan, I'm offended," he teased me. "Are you opposed to the gift or the giver?"

I giggled. "The gift. I'm definitely _not _opposed to you."

Edward laughed. "That's good to know. But you should also know—and this will make me sound like a cheapskate—that the tickets didn't cost me a penny. My sister is playing the role of Helena, so I managed to snag free tickets."

"Oh," I said, a little astounded. "Wow. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend—"

"You didn't offend me," he assured me. "I would definitely feel the same way. But since you're a literature geek, are you interested in accompanying me?"

I smiled as I arranged the frozen food on a cookie sheet. "I'm very interested in accompanying you."

"Good!" he said happily.

"Let me call and ask Rosalie if she can babysit," I suggested, popping the cookie sheet into the heated oven. "Would you be okay with Emmy staying with Rose?"

"Definitely. If you trust her to keep Emerson, then I know I can trust her to keep Emmy."

"Rose is wonderful. Can I call you back?"

"Of course. And by the way, thank you. I've been worrying over whether or not you would accept the invitation."

"Edward," I said sincerely. "I really like you. Like, a lot. I'm not sure why you're worried."

"I think I just did a fist pump," he joked.

"But the question is: do you like me as much as I like you?" I pressed.

"Bella, I think that I'm the adoring one," he replied in a serious tone. "I'm actually quite smitten."

Once again, I couldn't stop a smile that Edward Cullen had planted. "Good," I squeaked. "I'll call you right back."

I dialed Rose, and she said that she and Emmett would be happy to watch Emerson and Emmy. I think she was desperate for me to finally meet a man, even though she did add, "No funny business, right?"

To which I responded, "Rose, mind your own sex life."

"I'm serious, Bella…"

I rolled my eyes and hung up. I dialed Edward again to tell him that the babysitting had been arranged.

"Great," he said lightly. "I'll pick you up at six."

"Isn't that kind of early?"

"Well, we should have dinner…"

I shook my head fervently, even though he couldn't see me. "No. I'm not going to take away from your beautiful daughter's Christmas. We'll have dinner at my house…at six."

"Bella—"

"Do you like fettucine alfredo?"

He sighed in defeat. "I love it."

"Good! I'll have a fabulous dinner waiting for you," I said. "But right now I have to feed my main man some lunch. So can I talk to you later?"

"Absolutely," he said, and I could once again hear the grin. It was probably a smirk of amusement, maybe that freaking gorgeous crooked grin. I sincerely hoped so. "In fact, feel free to call me all you want."

"I think your woman would get a bit jealous if I did that," I admitted.

"Nah, she likes you. She informed me that my kisses are only for her, though."

I giggled. "I'm not sure I can agree to that," I said a bit dryly, trying to sound nonchalant.

He joined my laughter. "Lucky for you, I totally agree with you."

"Oh, lucky for me, huh? You only kiss the lucky?"

"No, I only kiss the _lovely_," he replied.

"You'll eat those words one day," I said jokingly just as Emerson ran into the kitchen. "I really have to go. I'll call you tonight."

"I'll be waiting anxiously," he said sweetly. "Give the little guy a hug for me."

"Will do. Thank you, Edward. Oh, wait," I said as a thought occurred to me. "How did you know that we love gummy bears?"

"Emerson told me. Go feed him some lunch so you can call me sooner."

I snorted. "Yes, sir. 'Bye!"

"'Bye," he said just before I hung up.

"Was that Edward?" Emerson asked curiously.

"Yep," I answered. "Sweetie, you and Emmy are going to hang out with Aunt Rosalie and Emmett on Friday night."

He looked at me suspiciously, his brown eyes blazing. "What are you and Edward going to be doing?"

"Watching a Shakespeare play," I explained. "You would be bored throughout the whole thing, trust me."

He sighed. "Mommy, do you _like_ Edward?"

I let out a long breath. "Maybe I do. Would that be okay with you?"

He bit his lip as he thought about it long and hard. Finally, he cocked his head to the side and examined me through squinted eyelids. "Only if _I'm_ your only superhero."

I chuckled and crouched down to give him a kiss. "Trust me, you're my only Clark Kent. And you rescue me every day, sweetheart."

* * *

_The date is next, and Edward will bring up Sinterklaas. It should be interesting._

_I love reviews wayyyy more than I love the SAT!  
_


	10. First Real Date

**Happy Sinterklaas! Santa brought me Haribo gummy bears!

* * *

****Chapter Ten: "First Real Date" Bella's POV**

The week dragged on and on. Friday finally arrived, but of course it snuck up on me at the last minute. It didn't even hit me that it was indeed Friday until I was in my scrubs and rushing Emerson out the door.

"Ginger snaps!" I exclaimed, using Edward's kid-friendly curse word as I glanced around my living room. It was quite messy. How had I let this happen?

Emerson was lethargically eating a bowl of cereal, even though I had been reminding him that we had to leave. Glaring at my untidy apartment, I ran back into my closet.

I, of course, had not done the laundry. I had nothing to wear for my first real date with Edward.

"Tartar sauce!" I groaned as I ran back to the kitchen. "Emerson! We are walking out the door in three minutes!" I ran to the laundry room. Rosalie's dress I had borrowed was freshly laundered, seeming to be wistfully waiting on a night out on the town. _Guess it will get its wish tonight, _I mused, wondering if Edward would notice that I wore the same outfit twice.

_Edward doesn't care about that. He doesn't have a ton of clothes, either. You've seen him wear the beige sweater a couple of times._

I smiled a little as I realized this. I shuffled to the living room to pick up a little. I gathered some of Emerson's toys, and a bit ticked off, I threw them into his room and closed the door. "We're leaving now," I said a bit sharply as I reentered the kitchen.

"But I'm not finished!" my baby complained.

"Too bad. You've been eating that bowl of cereal for fifteen minutes. Oh, and how many times did I ask you to move your toys to your toy box?"

"Why are you so mean today?" Emerson sighed. "I'm tired, Mommy."

"I'm tired, too, but I still pick up my stuff and eat my breakfast in a speedy manner. Come on, we're running late. Seriously, why are you so lazy lately?"

He rolled his eyes.

"Hey," I said, catching him just as he tried to run past me. "I don't appreciate that."

"I don't appreciate you being mean," he pouted.

"Emerson," I said testily. "I'm your mom, and I know I told you at least three times last night to pick up your toys. Now I have to come home from work and clean up. I do so much for you. Can't you help me out? It would really make me happier!"

He sighed stared at his feet, tears in his eyes. Of course I instantly felt horrible.

"Oh, baby, I'm sorry," I soothed him, stooping down and pulling him to me. "Mommy is just stressing out right now."

He wrapped his arms around my neck. "I don't like it when you're stressed out."

"I don't like it, either," I admitted. "But that doesn't mean I'm allowed to take it out on you. I'm really sorry I upset you, sweetie, but I do need some help occasionally." I kissed his cheek. "Come on, you can clean your room when I pick you up tonight. We're seriously running late."

I helped him with his coat and backpack. I was in the car, pulling out of the parking lot, when he asked me what we were doing tonight.

"You and Emmy are staying with Aunt Rosalie, remember?" I replied, trying to maintain my sweet "Mommy" voice so I wouldn't upset him further. "Edward and I are going to see a play."

"Oh, that's right," Emerson said in a considerably brighter tone. "Are you going to make yourself look pretty for Edward?"

I glanced at my son in the rearview mirror. "Probably."

"You don't need to. He thinks you're pretty no matter what."

"How do you know that?"

"Because you always look pretty."

I smiled. Finally, my sweet little boy was back. "I think you're biased, baby."

"What does that mean?"

"That means you only think I'm pretty because I'm your mommy," I explained.

He rolled his eyes, but this time it wasn't disrespectful, so I didn't say anything. "Well, if Edward doesn't think you're pretty, I'll beat him up."

I giggled. "Do you think Emmy is pretty?"

His face turned beet red. "Mom, I am _not _talking about that!"

I managed to drop him off at school _and _sign in to work on time. I was busy all day, but it helped keep my mind off the mess that was waiting for me at home.

But alas, I had to step back into the apartment after five. I had less than an hour to make my apartment beautiful and to make _myself _beautiful. Oh, and to cook dinner…

I threw the noodles into a pot of water and pulled the jars of alfredo sauce out. Edward didn't exactly have to know that my sauce was store-bought. I basically hid all of my clutter in my bedroom and Emerson's bedroom. Somehow, I had accumulated all of this over the week, and I felt like a slob. I didn't bother to vacuum, but I sprayed the living room with Febreeze, which helped a lot.

I quickly dressed in Rose's dress and did my hair and makeup. I tried to scrub the counters and table as the pasta cooked. I steamed some broccoli and popped some garlic bread in the oven.

The doorbell rang just as I was mixing the broccoli and chicken in with the sauce. "Coming!" I shouted, checking my distorted reflection in the toaster. I had wrapped the cream-colored cashmere scarf Rose had given me around my neck, my hair curling over it. It looked dressy and wintery enough.

I tripped in my heels all the way to the door. I flung it open and nearly fainted. Edward wore a black suit with a white button-down shirt and a green tie that matched his eyes perfectly. He was gorgeous.

"Hi," he said a bit shyly before holding up a white rose.

"Hi," I replied, taking the rose and using his hand to pull him in. "Thank you so much."

He smiled and bent to kiss my cheek. "You look beautiful."

"You do, too," I blurted out before blushing. "I mean, um, are you hungry?"

He grinned teasingly. "I think I am rather hungry. Something smells delicious, by the way."

I closed the door behind us. "Thanks, sweetie," I said, the term of endearment dripping off my tongue before I could stop it. "I hope you like it."

We held hands as we walked to the table. I had already set the dishes and silverware out, with a glass of ice for him. "What do you drink?" I asked him.

"Water's fine. Can I help with anything?"

"No, just sit down and let me take care of you."

"I seriously don't think it's fair that you cook for me all the time," Edward declared as I brought the pot of pasta to the table.

"You can return the favor once you learn how to beat a batter until it's light and fluffy," I teased him, spooning out his noodles on his plate.

"Hey, I'm a fantastic cook." The pout on his face was adorable as he stared at me.

I couldn't fight it anymore. I wanted to touch him, to feel that spark that passed through us. I ran a hand through his hair, unable to resist. His green eyes blazed as he stared up at me, his tongue lightly wetting his lips.

I wanted him. For the first time in five years, I was seriously thinking about love and sex and intimacy and..._fun_.

But this wasn't the right way to start this relationship. Edward and I had completely different lives from other twenty-somethings. We had responsibilities and expectations from the most important people in our lives: our children.

Copulating with Emmy's dad probably wasn't the best idea for Emerson's budding relationship...

"Regardless," I whispered a bit huskily, my fingers tracing from his luscious hair to his clean-shaven chin. "I like cooking for the men in my life."

He gave me that crooked smile that always made my heart pound. "If we didn't have to be at that play in an hour..." he murmured, leaving a suggestive blank at the end.

I let out a jagged breath. "And if we didn't have-"

"Yeah, I know," he interrupted, his voice strained. "Bella, you make me feel..."

"Young again?" I guessed.

His eyes widened, as if my guess had stunned him. "Exactly," he said simply.

I finished serving his dinner. "Me, too," I said lamely as I sat across from him. "I feel like a teenager again."

"We've had to miss those years," he mused, reaching for my hand across the table. "But when I'm with you, it's like I'm getting those years back."

I smiled shyly, staring down at my plate as I served myself. "Yeah, I know what you mean."

He smiled dazzingly before letting the topic rest. He responded positively to my pasta, making a really cute purring sound as he sampled it. I kept his hand captive, tracing patterns on his palm as we ate. He smiled wryly at me and eventually started responding to my fingers. I giggled as our fingers intertwined and fought for dominance.

Finally, he won by wrapping his long fingers around my small hand and pulling it to his mouth for a kiss.

There was a certain electricity that flowed between us, that lit my nerves on fire and caused my hair to stand on end-but in a very good way. I couldn't deny that I already had major feelings for him, but I didn't know how to approach this delicately.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked me softly after my hand became dormant in his.

"Us," I admitted, deciding to be bold. "What _are_ we?"

He chewed slowly as he pondered this. Finally, he said, "What do you want to be?"

"I don't want to be just friends," I hinted, "but the idea of a relationship...scares me. I haven't done it in so long."

"I feel the same way," he admitted, "but we don't have to do it the usual route. We can move as slow or as fast as we would like. For example, I really want you to meet my family...and I'm hoping you'll want to meet my sister tonight. Is that too fast?"

I shook my head. "I would love to meet your family, since Emmy loves them so much. But we need to move slowly in…_other_ things." I cocked my eyebrow to try to communicate what I meant.

"Believe me, I know," he agreed. "But if we're together, I would still like to be able to kiss you..._anytime_ I want."

The look on his face was so adorable I laughed out loud. "I think we already do that, anyway."

"Maybe not as much as I would like," he admitted.

"I think we agree on that one, too."

He laughed softly. "What are we going to tell Emmy and Emerson?"

I sighed. I hadn't thought of that. "I don't know."

"We'll figure it out," he decided. "But until then, we need to make it to the theatre on time."

He helped me store the leftover food in the fridge and wash the dishes. I was scrubbing the pot while he stacked the Tupperware containers in the fridge. I suddenly heard him snicker.

"What's funny?" I asked lightly, still feeling giddy that we were somewhat "together."

He pulled out a chocolate pudding cup and a vanilla pudding cup. "Maybe I've been around a five-year-old for too long," he smirked, "but Bella, will you be my girlfriend? I'll give you some pudding."

I laughed as he offered the cups to me. I selected the vanilla and took his strong chin in my hand again, pulling it down to my level. "You are possibly the silliest man I've ever met, but lucky for you, I have a weakness for pudding," I whispered.

"I'm only sharing my pudding if you agree to be my girlfriend," he replied, sticking his tongue out childishly.

I laughed again at his goofiness. "Fine, I'll be your girlfriend, but you have to push me on the swings and you can't ever break my crayons."

He giggled softly—so beautiful—but pulled me close, wrapping his arms around me. "It's a deal," he said a bit intensely. "Thank you…"

I tilted his face down so I could press my lips to his. I have to admit I was a bit astounded. I was someone's _girlfriend._

Not just _someone's _girlfriend. I was _Edward Cullen's _girlfriend.

I opened my pudding cup, peeling the aluminum off the plastic. I licked the pudding off of it before throwing it away and then I opened the silverware drawer. "Here's a spoon," I offered him.

"I kind of like vanilla," he pretended to pout as he ate some chocolate.

"Okay, fine, since you're my boyfriend, I'll share," I rolled my eyes playfully, sitting on the counter and giving him a big bite of vanilla. He tried to accept it with his mouth, but I smeared the pudding over his lips.

"Hey!" he exclaimed, dropping his own spoon on the floor. "That's not nice!"

I shrugged innocently. "Sorry, I slipped," I teased him flirtatiously.

"You're not a nice girlfriend," he joked, sticking his lower lip out at me.

I immediately started to act remorseful. "Oh, I'm not? I'm sorry, let me help you clean up…"

He was all too willing when I used my feet to pull him to me, and my lips carefully tried to chastely clean the pudding off his face. I think I made a bigger mess than before, though, but he didn't seem to mind. His lips responded to mine eagerly, and I found myself grateful that I hadn't worn lipstick. Our kisses were messy and sticky enough.

"I think that's as clean as you're going to get," I remarked, lightly nipping a bit of pudding off of his lips. My body felt like it was on fire as he rested his hands on my hips and nuzzled his nose to my neck.

"I have that feeling again," he admitted. "Honestly, you make me feel so young and carefree…I love it."

I kissed his cheek. "You do the same for me, so I'll happily return the favor. Uh, we're going to be late…"

He smiled at me. "You're right. Alice will kill me if I miss this production. Our parents were there for opening night, but I had a deadline to meet. And her boyfriend has been there every night, so I have no excuse for missing it. You'll meet Jasper tonight. We're sitting with him."

"I'm excited," I admitted. "But here, this might work better than my method of cleaning your face." I ripped off a paper towel and wet it under the faucet.

He snickered, wiped his face free of pudding residue, and then ran it over my sticky mouth.

"So much for makeup," I sighed.

"I like you without it," he revealed. "So does Emmy."

"Good, because I hate wearing makeup," I replied, kissing the corner of his mouth. "Come on, I don't want to meet the wrath of Alice."

He gave me a quizzical look as we walked to get our coats. "Have I told you about Alice?"

I shook my head. "Not much. Why?"

He sighed as he helped me into my coat. "I guess I should warn you about my family. You'll meet Alice tonight, so I'll start with her. She doesn't think before she speaks, she isn't shy at all about sharing her opinion, and she tends to be…very open."

"Open…" I repeated. "What do you mean?"

We walked outside and I locked the door behind us. "Alice will probably hug you, kiss you, demand to know everything about our relationship, and offer to design our wedding," he winced.

"Wedding," I said slowly, feeling suddenly uncomfortable.

"Not that I'm even thinking about marriage," he said quickly. "That's ridiculous. But Alice…rushes things. She's been trying to find a mommy for Emmy for years now."

I breathed a sigh of relief. "So how can I impress her?"

"Just be your usual charming self," he informed me, opening the passenger door of his Volvo. I ducked in the car and waited for him to climb into the driver's side. When he did, he took my hand. "Is this too much, too soon?" he asked worriedly.

I shook my head. "No…I can handle it."

"And I mentioned the rest of my family," he said wearily. "Okay, so they have already been planning an event for you and Emerson to join. Are you familiar at all with Sinterklaas?"

"Familiar with what?"

He chuckled as he pulled out of the parking lot and began to explain the idea of the fun-sounding holiday. Finally, he finished with, "We're inviting you and Emerson to join us at my parents' house…but it's usually an overnight thing."

I raised my eyebrows at him. "Like…we would be spending the night?" I asked, my quiet tone revealing my uncertainty about this.

"Yeah," Edward replied gently. "But you and Emerson could have your own room…you wouldn't be expected at all to sleep in a room with me, even though it certainly wouldn't be frowned upon."

I chewed my lip as I thought about this. The whole event sounded like fun, and I knew that Emerson would love to have a sleepover with Emmy. Plus I was kind of excited about being introduced to Edward's family as his girlfriend. But I didn't want them to think poorly of me, like I was used to spending the night with guys…especially since they would already have an opinion of me since I was a twenty-one-year-old mom of a five-year-old.

"Does your family judge others?" I asked Edward softly.

He gave me a funny look. "What do you mean? Do you think they'll dislike you because you have Emerson?"

I simply stared at him.

He rolled his eyes and squeezed my hand. "Bella, sweetie, haven't you noticed that I was a teenage parent, too?"

"Well, yes, but—"

"My family may be loud, overbearing, and nosy, but they aren't judgmental," he promised me. "Besides, Emmy and I talk about Emerson all the time. Mom, Dad, Alice, and Jazz are all really ready to meet both of you. Mom has seen pictures of you."

"So they won't look at me as a floozy or a charity case," I verified.

"Never," he promised me, leaning over to kiss my forehead. "I would really love for you to celebrate Sinterklaas with us, but I understand if you don't feel comfortable yet."

"Let me think about it," I told him.

"Okay," he said cheerfully. "Oh, and Bella?"

"Yeah?"

"They're all happy to see me smile more. You already have quite a good reputation in the Cullen family."

That made me feel better.

The play was in a large theatre, and it looked like it was attracting quite a crowd. I was shocked when Edward led me down to the front row, where a handsome blond man sat.

The man's eyes lit up when he saw us. "Hey, Edward," he greeted my _boyfriend_ happily, shaking his hand. "Is this the famous Bella?"

Edward's cheeks flushed in a blush. "This is my Bella," he grinned dopily. "Bella, this is my future brother-in-law Jasper, even though they haven't made it official. And Jazz, this is my girlfriend."

"We've all heard so much about you," Jasper said, pulling me into a friendly hug. "Emmy, my 'girlfriend,' talks about you and Emerson quite a lot. I sometimes get jealous of Emerson."

I laughed lightly. "I've heard a lot about Uncle Jasper from Emmy, too."

Edward pretended to shake his head disapprovingly. "I just can't keep my daughter away from the older men."

We laughed. "It's nice to meet you," I told Jasper as we sat down. Edward held my hand and made small talk with Jasper while we waited for the curtain to rise. It finally did rise, and the play began.

I was a total Shakespeare nut, so I loved the production. Alice, who played Helena, was beautiful with unruly hair (like Edward's) that was the color of charcoal, and with fair skin that was exactly like Edward's ivory pallor. She was also a fantastic actress.

Finally, the play ended. I felt a bit regretful that it was over because the production was just that good. But Jasper led me and Edward through a nondescript side door, and after skipping up a staircase, I found myself backstage.

It was chaos back there, but Alice Cullen was at a dressing table, taking her stage makeup off with cold cream. As soon as she saw our reflections in the mirror, she gasped and jumped up.

"Oh my god!" she exclaimed happily. "I finally get to meet the famous Bella!"

I wondered just how _famous_ I was.

"Alice, control yourself," Edward said softly. "Bella, this is my little sister Alice. Alice, this is my girlfriend, Bella. Please don't cut off her air supply when you hug her."

Jasper laughed as Alice did hug me, and I have to admit that she nearly did cut off my air supply.

"I noticed you in the audience," she babbled. "And I thought, 'That can't be Bella! She's too beautiful for my brother!'"

I blushed and laughed nervously while Edward said, "I agree."

"It's nice to meet you," I told her.

"Oh, Bella," Alice sighed dramatically. No wonder she was an actress. She hugged me again. "You don't know how much my family already loves you. All we hear about from Emmy is 'I wish Bella and Emerson could come over' and 'Bella makes better hot cocoa than you, Aunt Alice' and 'We made snowman named George at Emerson's house!' And then all we hear from Edward is 'I wish Bella would call' and 'Maybe I should call Bella' and 'Bella loves Shakespeare.' You're practically a celebrity!"

I laughed again while I glanced at Edward, who was currently sporting flaming cheeks. "Thank you, Alice. I have heard a lot about you and your family as well."

"I can't wait to tell Mom that I met her!" the beautiful girl sighed dreamily. "Oh, Bella, where did you get that fabulous dress?"

I tried not to snort. Alice was obviously extremely scatterbrained. "I'm not sure," I admitted. "I borrowed it from a friend."

"I think it is Badgley Mischka," she mused, staring at it. "It's gorgeous. You're gorgeous. Of course we already knew that from Edward."

Edward coughed uncomfortably. "Alice, are you finished?"

"No," Alice started to say, but she caught on quickly. "I mean, yeah, I guess I'm finished. I have to go take care of some things anyway. Bella, I'll see you at Sinterklaas, okay?"

"Okay," I said, a bit dizzy from the whirlwind that was Alice Cullen. She grabbed Jasper and ran toward someone else.

"Annoying, isn't she?" Edward murmured.

I shook my head. "Maybe _stunning _is the better word."

"If Alice reacted that warmly to you, then you'll have no problem with my parents," he promised me, keeping an arm snaked around my waist. "Maybe we should leave before she thinks of another embarrassing Edward fact."

I laughed. "I'm glad to know I've been talked about," I said as we walked back into the auditorium.

"Yes, well, you and Emerson are both completely covered," he muttered.

I smiled and stood on my tiptoes to kiss his cheek. "Don't be embarrassed. I like it."

He gave me his crooked smile before bending down to peck my lips. Yum. "You know you just agreed to see Alice at Sinterklaas, right?"

I bit my lip. "Uh, yeah, I guess you're right. So what should I bring?"

* * *

_I love reviews more than I love pudding cups!_


	11. Meet the Parents

**Author's Note: Bella's POV of the first part of Sinterklaas!

* * *

**

**Chapter Eleven: "Meet the Parents" Bella's POV  
**

I answered the door without looking out the peephole, already knowing who it was. Edward and Emmy were huddled together on the porch, trying to keep warm.

"Come into the heat," I encouraged them, stooping down so I could give Emmy a big hug.

"Hey, Bella," she said happily, surprising me with a kiss on the cheek.

"Aw, thank you, sweet girl," I murmured, kissing her little face. "Do you want to sample a cookie?"

"Yes, please!"

"I'll give you one as soon as they finish baking. Emerson is in the living room."

Emmy shed her coat, handed it to her father, and took off toward my son. In the week since I had agreed to be in a relationship with Edward, we spent nearly every afternoon together. Emmy was now comfortable with running and playing in my apartment, as Emerson was in Edward's home.

"I don't think she realizes that we're just about to leave," Edward murmured, pulling me into a hug.

"The cookies aren't ready yet," I replied, "so take your coat off and get comfortable. What time are we supposed to be at your parents'?"

He grinned at me. "We have plenty of time, sweetie. Can I _get comfortable_ with you?"

My kiss on his lips was the only answer he needed. When the kids weren't looking, we were probably quite sickening with our kisses and handholding and cuddling. But I was twenty-one, for god's sake. I had missed the physical aspects of a relationship.

However, I loved the emotional aspects even more. Like the phone calls that lasted late into the night, the random "Miss your beautiful smile" text messages, the way he always caught me when I tripped, and the sweet things he would say to me.

I pulled away from his lips and let him nuzzle his nose to my neck. "You know you don't have to bring food," he commented softly, dropping a gentle kiss on my throat. "Mom always creates a feast for Sinterklaas."

"I make some amazing Christmas cookies and casseroles," I replied self-consciously. "And I don't have much else to impress your family with."

He pulled his head back and gave me a funny look. "Bella, you don't have to work at impressing them. They already think you're the perfect match for me."

I sighed and took his hand, leading him to the kitchen. "Edward, I'm a very young single mom who doesn't have any money and who doesn't even have beauty on her side. At least my cooking skills can be considered slightly endearing."

He rolled his eyes before taking my face in his hands. "Bella," he said softly, kissing the tip of my nose. "You are…" He kissed my eyelids. "So beautiful…" A kiss on my cheek. "A wonderful mother…" My chin. "And so adorable in every way…" My other cheek. "That everyone who meets you falls in love with you." My temple. "And I'm the luckiest guy in the world…" My other temple. "Because I'm able to share pudding and play dates and kisses with you." My chin. "So don't worry about my family. They're going to love you."

Finally, he kissed my lips again.

I sighed and sagged a bit against his body.

"Plus the fact that you're a fabulous cook is just the icing on the cake," he added, kissing the top of my head and wrapping his arms around me. "You're so self-conscious, and I don't know why."

"You're too perfect," I mumbled. "I'm kind of scared that you're going to vanish. I've never had a guy like you before."

"I've never had a girl as wonderful as you, either," he replied, resting his chin on my head so I was tucked in safely.

I suddenly smelled cookies. "Oh, jeez," I groaned, running to the oven. He grinned as I quickly pulled the cookie sheets out. "Safe!" I exclaimed, throwing my arms out like I was deciding a baseball game.

"Do you need any help?" he asked me.

"You can help me with the sprinkles. I have red and green sprinkles in the cabinet."

When we were finished with that chore, I gave Emmy and Emerson each a cookie, and then Edward and I loaded the cookies and casseroles into the spacious trunk of his Volvo. I ran back inside to deck Emerson and myself out in our winter garb.

I grabbed our overnight bag and then glanced at Edward. "Ready?" I asked almost shyly. It was just nerves.

"I am," he replied tenderly. "Are you?"

I sighed. "Ready as I'll ever be."

Emmy and Emerson buckled up in the backseat. Edward quietly held my hand as he drove to the complete opposite side of Seattle. We were in a beautiful neighborhood before long.

"Is this where you grew up?" I asked him.

"No," he replied, a strange look on his face. "This is just a shortcut."

He took a side road into what looked like green countryside. There were beautiful fields and fences. Finally, he slowed in front of a stone security house with a large fence.

"Gated community?" I guessed, praying that this was correct. I sincerely hoped that his parents weren't wealthy enough to have security guards.

He bit his lip. "Not exactly."

He punched a code into the keypad, and the gates slowly opened. A long cobblestone driveway wound in the middle of a lovely green yard.

And then it led to an absolutely massive stone house.

"Bella, breathe," he whispered, squeezing my hand as I stared.

"_This _is where you grew up?" I squeaked.

"They've added some square feet since then," he hedged.

I turned and gave him a rather meaningful look. "Edward, you didn't tell me we were going to Jay Gatsby's house."

"Relax," he told me. "They're more Nick Callahan than Jay Gatsby. And they're not looking for a Daisy Buchanan, either. Or a Jordan Baker. My parents are the kinds of people that F. Scott Fitzgerald would approve of."

I actually cracked a smile. At least my literary-nerd-boyfriend knew what I meant.

"My grandpa and grandma are really nice," Emmy piped up from the backseat. "You'll like them."

"This house is like a castle," Emerson observed.

"It's really fun," Emmy enthused. "I have my own room and everything."

Edward hit a button on a switch attached to the ceiling of the Volvo, and the four-car garage opened up. He took a middle spot, in between a black Mercedes Benz, a silver BMW, a yellow Porsche, and a black Ducati motorcycle. Emmy immediately unbuckled herself and opened the car door, eager to go inside.

"Slow down, Emily," Edward warned her. "Don't go in without me."

"Daddy, it's just Grandma's house—"

"I know, but we have guests. Don't be rude."

After the kids had climbed out of the car and were waiting in the garage, Edward put a hand to my cheek. "Ready?"

"No."

"You look lovely," he promised me, leaning in to peck my lips. "Come on. I'm ready to show you off."

I got out of the car on shaky legs and slung my overnight bag on my shoulder. We went to the trunk, where Edward pulled out the casseroles. I nervously clutched the plastic container of cookies.

We walked up the steps and Edward opened the door, causing a security system to beep approvingly as we entered. Emmy and Emerson walked in front of us. "Grandpa!" Emmy exclaimed. "Grandma!"

I heard footsteps coming down the hallway. Edward put an arm around my waist and forced me to keep walking. Finally, we made it into an open foyer area.

I was momentarily distracted by the huge, captivating portrait of Emmy on the wall. It was obviously the centerpiece of the room. It was black-and-white, with her mouth laughing and her curls bouncing. It was beautiful. I barely even noticed when Edward took the cookies from my hand and set my food on the coffee table.

"Hello, darling," a male's deep British accent said, and I turned my head to the crowd that was forming. A handsome blond middle-aged man with blue eyes and laugh lines was picking Emmy up and pulling her into a bear hug. "Are you ready for Sinterklaas?"

"Yeah, Grandpa!" she exclaimed, hugging his neck tightly. "Come meet my new friend!"

Emerson was shyly waiting on the floor, watching Emmy with wide eyes. He had never been in such an expensive house and he had probably never seen such beautiful people. A gorgeous woman with caramel-colored hair was behind Edward's father, bright green eyes on Emerson.

"Is this the famous Emerson?" the woman asked sweetly, bending down to shake Emerson's hand.

"Introduce yourself," I gently prodded my baby, feeling somewhat elated that they noticed him before they noticed me. Stuff like that means a lot to a mother.

"Emerson Swan," he said bashfully, hands tucked behind his back.

"You're so handsome," the woman gushed, giving him a gentle hug. "Emmy talks about you all the time. I'm her grandmother, Esme. You can call me Esme or Grandma."

"I like calling her Grandma," Emmy announced.

Mr. Cullen chuckled and bent to shake Emerson's hand. "And I'm Carlisle, but you can call me Carlisle or Grandpa."

_Okay, so maybe they really are down-to-earth, _I thought, breathing a sigh of relief.

"I already have a grandpa," Emerson announced, "but I'll call you Grandpa Carlisle."

Everyone laughed, and expectant eyes turned to Edward.

He cleared his throat, a comforting arm around my shoulders. "Mom, Dad," he said happily, "this is my girlfriend, Bella Swan. Bella, these are my parents, Dr. Carlisle Cullen, and Esme Cullen."

I briefly wondered what our respective children would think of the word _girlfriend_, but that thought left as soon as his mother let out a thrilled noise. "Oh, you are lovely!" Esme squealed, coming to hug me. She smelled like floral perfume and cinnamon and felt very warm.

"Thank you," I said shyly. "It's so nice to meet you."

"No, it's so nice to finally meet you," Carlisle disagreed, giving me one of those one-armed man squeezes. "We've heard so much about you and Emerson. Edward, she really is stunning. You weren't lying."

My face burned. Carlisle's words seemed to ring even more sincerely with his charming English accent.

"Told you so," Edward said good-naturedly, giving me an affectionate kiss on the cheek.

"I'm so excited to meet you," Esme gushed, pulling me by the hand. "Everyone, let's go into the living room and wait for Alice and Jasper. Emmy, you can show Emerson your room, if you would like."

"Okay!" Emmy exclaimed, grabbing Emerson's hand and towing him down the hall. My little man looked relieved to be taken away from adults.

"Be good, Emerson!" I called. "Don't touch anything that looks breakable!"

Everyone laughed quietly. "It's very childproof, Bella," Esme assured me. "Your son is so adorable. Carlisle, Edward, why don't we migrate to a more comfortable room?"

"Whatever you say, love," Carlisle told her, winking at me. "You can tell who calls the shots, Bella."

I laughed, remembering my sense of humor. "You're a smart man for allowing that."

We walked down the hall—which was full of pictures of Alice and Edward throughout the years—and into a broad living room. I was nearly staggered that almost everything was white—the walls, the carpets, the furniture, even the huge flatscreen television. _How does Emmy survive in a white room? Doesn't she drink Kool-Aid?_

Esme suddenly noticed the casseroles and cookies in Edward's hands. "Oh, Bella, sweetie," she gently chided me. "You really didn't have to bring anything! You're our guest!"

"I love to cook," I assured her, taking the dishes from Edward. "Can I put these in the kitchen?"

"Of course! Just come with me to the kitchen."

I followed her into a large kitchen with stunning appliances that looked like they belonged on a sci-fi movie. Just as I set the food down, she pulled me into another hug.

"You're beautiful," she told me in a fierce whisper. "And you've already made Edward so happy. All we hear about is how lovely you are and how amazing you are and how good of a mother you are. Tell me your secret, Bella. How did you manage to make Edward so happy?"

My head was spinning at the very sight of this wonderful woman, much less her compliments! I shrugged gently. "We've only known each other for a few weeks…we just clicked, I guess."

"My son is singing," she said dreamily. "And playing the piano and laughing all the time…he's like a whole new Edward since he met you."

"Was he…different before he met me?" I asked softly.

"Oh, he's always been a cheerful person," she assured me. "But the pressures of single fatherhood…well, you can understand. As you can see, darling, Carlisle and I have been very…blessed…in our lives. But we knew when Edward told us he was going to be a father that he couldn't continue to be spoiled. So we simply just kicked him out! We helped him get started, of course, but as soon as Emmy was born, he was on his own. And that's hard on a child. Edward really was just a child when it happened…it has made him more reserved, more intense. But since he's known you, he is a bit more…carefree."

"Oh," I said, my ears practically aching at her long speech. Emmy obviously inherited her talkative spirit from Esme and Alice. "I can definitely understand what you mean…but Edward makes me happy, too. I keep thinking I've lucked out by finding a man who is as dedicated to a child as I am. They are few and far between."

"You're so sweet," Esme sighed happily. "I feel like I already know you, just from hearing Edward and Emmy talk about you."

We were interrupted then by the door opening, and the clack of heels down the hall. "I'm home!" called a voice that could only belong to Alice.

"_We're _home!" Jasper corrected her in his Southern drawl.

They entered the kitchen a moment later, and to my surprise, a flash of bronze curls streaked through the kitchen.

"Whoa, hey, munchkin!" Jasper said happily, catching Emmy as she jumped into his arms. "I missed you too, sugar."

Emmy greeted him with a few happy kisses on the lips. "Hey, Uncle Jasper. Are you spending the night?"

"I always spend the night on Sinterklaas," he reminded her, kissing her forehead.

Emmy turned to me. "This is my Uncle Jasper," she informed me proudly. "I'm going to marry him."

"Wow," I said. "What are you going to wear?"

"A white ballgown," she sighed wistfully, her eyes distant. "And a long veil."

"You'll have to invite me to the wedding," I said just as Edward and Carlisle entered the kitchen.

"You can be my bridesmaid," Emmy assured me.

"What an honor," I played along. "Emmy, where is Emerson?"

"Right here, Mommy," my little man replied, coming into the kitchen and reaching for me.

He was heavy, but I picked him up and bounced him on my hip.

"Is this the handsome Emerson?" Alice cooed, coming to meet him.

"This is the Emerson," I replied.

"I'm Aunt Alice," she introduced herself. "Are you excited about Sinterklaas?"

He nodded, going back into his shell again. My child wasn't shy by nature, but this family was awfully loud and social. No wonder he was intimidated.

"It's the best holiday ever," she said enthusiastically. "You're going to get lots of candy and maybe even some Kryptonite."

That pulled him back out of the shell. Obviously she had heard a lot about my kid since she brought up Superman. "I don't want Kryptonite!" he exclaimed, giggling. "It makes me weak!"

"Oh, right," Alice said in mock-confusion. "Wait, are you the real Clark Kent?"

"I can't give away my identity," he replied seriously, making everyone laugh again.

"Dinner has been waiting," Esme announced. "Let's file into the dining room."

I offered to help with the food, but Alice and Esme both commanded me to go sit down. Carlisle asked Emmy if she and Emerson wanted to sit at the grown-ups' table.

"No," she decided. "Daddy said we can't talk about dinosaurs at the table tonight. But Emerson and I can."

"That's my girl," Carlisle smiled, kissing her cheek. "Why don't you ask Uncle Jasper to pull out your little table and chairs?"

While Emmy, Emerson, and Jasper set them up a table, Edward took my hand and led me to the beautiful mahogany table. Expensive-looking china and silver adorned the table.

"This looks delicious," Carlisle complimented his wife as she started bringing out the dishes. I gaped at the huge turkey and all of the holiday trimmings. Edward wasn't joking when he said _feast._

I made Emerson a plate (asking Esme for a cheaper plate than the china) of turkey and vegetables and gave him a glass of milk. When the kids were taken care of, we sat down and started passing around the dishes.

"All of your food looks gourmet, Bella," Esme complimented me. "You're going to make us all—especially the men—very happy."

"Indeed," Jasper agreed. "Maybe you can teach Alice how to cook."

The family laughed at some memory. Esme turned the conversation back to me. "So what do you do for a living, dear?"

I cleared my throat a bit uncomfortably. "I work at a dental clinic," I vaguely explained, shifting in my seat. Edward placed his hand on my knee, giving me a smile.

"A hygienist or nurse?" Carlisle guessed.

"Not quite yet," I stammered as I blushed. "I'm only an assistant now, but I'm hoping to move up once Emerson is a little older and I have a little more money saved for my education."

"Well, you could be a chef," Jasper decided, making a happy noise as he tasted one of my dishes.

"She also made cookies that I could eat until my teeth fall out," Edward added, winking at me. "Her baking skills betray her dental skills."

I snorted as I began to eat. I definitely felt more at ease. Edward was right—his family was just as down-to-earth as he was.

"So you sacrificed your education for your baby," Alice stated admiringly. "How did you make that decision?"

I took a sip of the wine that Esme had poured, and my hand automatically searched for Edward's under the table. "Er…there never really was a choice, I guess," I stammered. "It was all about Emerson, right from the beginning. Before I even knew he would be an Emerson."

"How old were you?" Carlisle asked without a hint of judgment in his voice.

"Sixteen," I said quietly.

"So Tanya's age," Alice mumbled, which earned a stern glance from Edward.

"Obviously you made the right choice," Esme pointed out.

"Yes," I smiled as I glanced at my handsome son. "Yes, I did. There was never any question in that."

"And his father?" Jasper nearly whispered, clearly not wanting to attract Emerson's attention.

"Emerson doesn't have a father," I explained in a near-whisper.

It was enough for the Cullen clan to accept and move on. Esme and Carlisle were extremely interested in my family, especially in Forks. Esme had actually built a few houses in Forks, so she was familiar with the area.

Throughout dinner, we chatted about a multitude of things. We had coffee and desserts in the living room, and eventually Emmy convinced her grandparents to let her turn the living room into a pillow and blanket fort. I was worried that Emerson would get carried away, but Esme and Carlisle didn't seem to be concerned, and my son was so happy that I didn't have the heart to tell him not to. We simply moved to a different sitting area of the house and started to play Scrabble.

I knew I was officially accepted when I mentioned that I had been in an Advanced Placement English class in high school. The family was Scrabble-crazy. Apparently the very intelligent Dr. Cullen was the official Scrabble champion, and they hoped that the new addition to the game would overthrow him.

After Team Edward-and-Bella won a couple games of Scrabble, Esme gave me a huge hug and kiss.

"She's perfect," she sighed to her son. "Edward, darling, marry her."

Edward and I both had flaming cheeks, but he gave me an _I told you so _look and leaned in to kiss me sweetly.

* * *

_A few things..._

_Yes, there will be a chapter about the rest of Sinterklaas, but it will be from Edward's POV. I imagine it will be posted this weekend._

_Edward and Bella were referring to F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic **The Great Gatsby** when they pulled into the Cullens' driveway. If you have been deprived of golden literature, you should know that Jay Gatsby is extremely wealthy. Nick Callahan does not care much for wealth. Daisy Buchanan and Jordan Baker live for money and social status. And the whole point of the book is that Fitzgerald thought that wealth was useless and corrupting. So Carlisle and Esme may look like Gatsby, but they're really Nick. And Bella isn't a Daisy or a Jordan at all, which Carlisle and Esme appreciate._

_That is a really sad, watered-down description of a fantastic novel. Go read it. It totally trumps **The Catcher in the Rye **or **Romeo & Juliet** or whatever my younger readers are being forced to study in school. Actually, there is a Gatsby movie coming out that is directed by my favorite director, Baz Luhrmann, and I'm SO excited...but wait, this A/N isn't about Gatsby. I'll get back on task. Sorry._

_The Scrabble thing was inspired by my family. They weren't impressed with my last boyfriend because he was a poor Scrabble player, and sure enough, I kicked his butt to the curb. My family is insane and out of control and often hurtful, but we can manage to get along long enough to play a game of Scrabble. I don't understand the profound effect Scrabble has on us, but I love it._

_I love reviews more than I love cookies.  
_


	12. Sinterklaas Night

**I know I scared a few people with the lack in updating. This story will never be abandoned! I've just been on vacation for a while, I decided to go laptopless. But I have a nice long chapter to make up for it!

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Chapter Twelve: "Sinterklaas Night" Edward's POV**

Bella was a massive hit with my family. It was almost unreal how well they took to her. I knew they were all desperate for me to find a wife and a mother for Emmy, but after Hurricane Tanya, they were extremely critical of every girl they saw.

Except for Bella. I don't know if it was the fact that she was also a single parent of an adorable kid, therefore she _understood_...or if it was the natural charm and beauty that seemed to be unique to the Swans. It was probably a little of both.

Dad, ever the workaholic, was exhausted after two games of Scrabble, so we packed it up and the more serious couples decided to turn in for the night. Mom reminded us to leave our shoes out for "Santa." So that left me and Bella. I opened my arms as soon as the room was empty except for us, and she wasn't shy about lounging across my body on the loveseat.

I kissed her softly. "So I think my family thinks you're kind of okay," I said, heavy on the understatement, as my hands went to the small of her back.

She giggled, obviously pleased that she had so apparently impressed them. "I think they're kind of okay, too," she joked, leaning in to kiss me again. "They're not very talkative or affectionate, though. I think your mom kissed me only about fifteen times."

I snorted. "Sorry to disappoint you with my cold family."

She laughed and gently ran her hands through my hair, staring intently in my eyes.

"You're so beautiful," I whispered, stroking her cheekbones with my thumbs as I held her face.

She shook her head. "I'm really not...especially when I'm compared to _you_..."

I rolled my eyes. "Bella, you're so desirable, I don't know what to do with myself. You really don't know how perfect you are, do you?"

Her eyes seemed to smolder at the word _desirable_, but she pursed her lips. "You don't know how long it takes to make my hair perfect, and my makeup..."

"Yet I remember when I saw you in your pajamas, and you were gorgeous," I replied.

She blushed and buried her face in my chest. I stroked her long hair, enjoying the softness.

And then my Daddy instincts kicked in. I could hear the music of _The Land Before Time_ playing in the living room, but the children were being way too quiet.

"Have you heard a peep lately?" I asked Bella.

Her eyes widened. "No. That means they're either asleep or up to something."

I glanced at my watch. It was past ten PM. "I think we better check."

Bella's sweater moved up as she stretched, revealing a strip of her flat stomach, and it was impossible not to find that distracting. But she stood up and took my hand to pull me up. We walked into the living room.

Emmy and Emerson had built an exceptionally good fort out of pillows, cushions, and blankets. They were asleep inside, sharing a pillow, both of them gripping their shoes. I smiled, realizing they were waiting to be filled with candy.

"Aw," Bella smiled. "They're really cute, don't you think?"

"Yeah," I agreed. "Don't move them." I ran to my bedroom, where I had dropped off my camera. I quickly ran back and started to take snapshots of them sleeping together.

"I'm glad Emerson has a friend," Bella remarked as I took pictures. "Emmy has been so good for him."

"Mmm," I agreed, lost in my art. I quickly turned the camera on us, snapping a few pictures. Bella was glaring at me, but she eventually gave a small smile for the camera. Trying to be sweet and make her smile wider, I turned my head and kissed her cheek as I snapped photos  
of us.

"Okay, you win," she giggled, grinning happily. "Jeez. I feel sorry for Emmy."

"You have no idea how used to the camera she is, sweetie," I replied. "She's a film darling. Er, should we move them?"

"Probably," Bella said. "Emerson is a snuggler, and I'm not sure you would approve of that."

I chuckled. "I'm not that bad."

"You were scared a juice box was a 'romantic gesture,'" she quoted me.

I rolled my eyes. "Everyone knows that a juice box is way more scandalous than a pudding cup, you know."

She laughed, jumped up to kiss my chin playfully, and then bent to pick her son up. Emerson visibly relaxed as he sensed his mommy's comforting arms, and he demonstrated just how much of a snuggler he really was. He was definitely an armful for her petite frame, but she didn't even seem to strain. Once again, I was reminded of her skill and dedication to mothering.

"Where do the shoes go?" she asked me.

"Outside your bedroom door," I replied as I bent to pick up my own little snuggler. "Don't forget to leave your shoes out, too. Here, follow me."

We went up the stairs and down the hall together. I stopped at the guest room door. "Here is your room," I said, turning on the light.

"It's nicer than my own bedroom," she remarked, eyes wide. "Thank you."

"No problem. Is this good night?"

She bit her lip. "Um...let me make sure Emerson stays asleep. Text me if you can't sleep."

"Okay. Good night for now." I smiled and bent to kiss her gently.

Although we were both holding our kids, there was something about that kiss that made it a little more charged. Our lips tugged at each other, and Bella gasped inside of my mouth after a minute or so.

"Good night, baby," she whispered to me after reluctantly pulling away. I couldn't remember her ever using that name for me.

"Good night, sweetie."

I went and put Emmy to bed in her pink bedroom and left her Mary Janes out by her bedroom door. Then I went to my bedroom and changed into my flannel pajama pants and t-shirt, leaving my own shoes outside the door. I tried to fall asleep under my warm covers.

But of course it didn't happen. My head was swimming from that kiss, the taste of her lingering on my mouth. I could only think of Bella. Especially when I heard her water running as she brushed her teeth and washed her face.

Finally, after about an hour, I started to grab my phone to text her, but for some reason, I didn't feel like a text message was adequate enough. As silly as it sounds, my romantic streak was coming back full-force. So I slipped out of bed and pulled my jacket and shoes on. Maybe it was a crazy idea. Maybe Bella would call me a son-of-a-nutcracker. But she always said she needed more spontaneity.

Well, I would give her spontaneous.

I ran downstairs to the security keypad. I knew all of the codes for my parents' state-of-the-art security system. I disabled the alarm on Bella's bedroom window and safely left the house without setting off the alarm. It was rather cold outside, so I ran back to the linen closet and found a thick quilt. I pulled on my ski-cap as I ran to the grass beneath her window.  
_  
This could end in disaster, but here I go,_ I thought as I found some pebbles in my mother's garden arrangements. I lightly chunked one at Bella's window...and then another one.  
_  
Please don't break,_ I was thinking. And then it was: _Please don't be asleep.  
_ Finally, the window opened and Bella leaned out, her arms wrapped around her. She wore a t-shirt, her hair cascading around her, her glasses on her face. "Are you crazy?" she hissed.

"Come down," I said simply.

"It's minus three-thousand degrees!" she replied.

"Get a coat!"

She actually cracked a smile. "What are you trying to do?"

"I'm showing you what Alice and I used to do when we were kids," I explained. "This is a little piece of Cullen history."

She couldn't fight the smile on her face. "I'm in my pajamas with no makeup."

"If I recall correctly, that's how I like you," I replied honestly. "And no worries, we're going somewhere where there is heat. You haven't seen all the property yet."

"Will Emerson be okay?" she asked worriedly.

"He'll be fine."

She sighed and disappeared from the window, making my heart sink. But she reappeared with a coat on. "How do I get down there?"

"I catch you."

"Ha ha, seriously," she snorted, calling my bluff.

I laughed, noticing she wasn't wearing her glasses. "If you can step to the left, you can jump on the roof over the first-floor terrace, and then you can jump on the grass," I replied, motioning with my hands.

"I'm going to kill myself and you're going to feel very guilty," she warned me as she carefully maneuvered the pathway Alice and I had taken so many times.

"It's not hard," I replied, moving so I really could catch her if she slipped on the last part of the journey. But she managed to do it quite gracefully, which was rare for her.

She glared at me as she jumped on the grass. "Surprised?"

"Amazed." I held open the quilt, and she eagerly wrapped up in it. I hooked an arm around her shoulders.

"You couldn't just come to my bedroom door?" she teased me, her breath visible in the cold night as we walked across the grass.

"I've always wanted to do that," I shrugged.

She giggled. "So where are we going?"

"Alice and I used to call it our clubhouse," I said coyly. "I hope I didn't wake you up."

"Nah, I was...distracted."

"By the same thing I was?" I murmured softly.

She grinned. "By the fact that you were just down the hall?"

"Yeah."

She shivered delicately, and I suddenly bent to sweep her quilt-bundled body up into my arms.

"I can walk, you know," she pointed out. But she still wrapped her arms around my neck.

"I don't want you to," I said simply, kissing her cheek. "Besides, you're cold."

She simply squeezed my neck in a sweet embrace. "Thank you for this...it's been a really fun night."

"It has, hasn't it?" I agreed. "Wait until you see the goodies in your shoes...and the breakfast feast tomorrow."

She rested her head against my shoulder. A few minutes later, she asked, "Do I smell horses?"

"Yep."

"You have horses?" she asked, her voice excited.

"My parents do. Why? Are you a horse girl?"

She chuckled. "I've never been graceful enough to ride, but I had a My Little Pony collection."

I snorted. "I'll introduce you to our horses."

We were close to the stables by then. I set her on her feet and helped her hop the little fence. We walked hand-in-hand until we made it to the door. I unlocked it and forced the heavy metal to move.

Lights immediately came on, and Bella gasped.

I laughed softly as she stared at my mother's stables. They were extremely modern, with lights and heat and machinery meant to groom and pamper the horses.

"This is...ridiculous," Bella remarked, a bit astounded. "How much are these horses worth?"

"Eh, a little bit," I underestimated, leading her in.

"Is that a treadmill?"

"Yes. Mom likes to keep her babies in shape, and the constant rain makes that hard."

Bella stared at me for a second. "Does she...race them?"

I shook my head. "No, she only shows them. It's a hobby she and Alice enjoy. That's her award wall. Please come in the stables-the heat is so much more comfortable."

Bella walked in to look at all of Mom's ribbons and trophies. I shut the door behind us and cranked the thermostat up.

"Lots of first place awards," she observed.

"Yes, well, my mom's horses are just as graceful and as beautiful as she is."

"I want to see them," Bella begged. "Please."

"Of course. They're probably asleep, but they're back here."

Bella was immediately captivated by the gorgeous animals in the roomy stalls. They were all disturbed by our intrusion, but they liked to be petted by her gentle hands. I found myself wishing for my camera as she giggled at the horses. Even though she was in yoga pants, a thick coat, and with untamed hair and a bare face, she was so beautiful. It literally took my breath away.

"So this was your clubhouse?" she asked me as she stroked the nose of Alice's favorite horse Theodore.

"No, our clubhouse is upstairs. Do you want to see it?"

She nodded eagerly.

I grinned and took her hand, leading her. The quilt I had brought was flung over my shoulder, and I noticed she eyed it. I grabbed the flashlight from the wall and took her to the little staircase that led to the loft upstairs. "Ladies first," I offered.

She clung to my hand as we walked up the stairs together. The lights were all turned off, and I liked it that way. I knew my dad had some lanterns and candles up here for when he and Emmy had "campouts" in the loft. I turned on the flashlight and guided Bella across the flat floorboards of the loft.

I turned on the gas lanterns, creating a cozy glow in the small space. Bella smiled as she looked around our old "clubhouse." It wasn't big, but there was a mattress on the floor, covered in an old _Pokémon_ sheet. The walls were still decorated with Disney posters and some of our crayon portraits of the family. Alice and I had hung out in the clubhouse until Tanya began to take up my time, but we had never had the heart to take down our grade school memories.

"This is adorable," Bella enthused, paying each piece of art a lot of attention.

"Yeah, Mom swore she would never take anything down," I chuckled. "You can tell we were children of the nineties. Look at Timon and Pumbaa from _The Lion King_…and there's an old _Recess _poster! With Spinelli and Gretchen and Mikey…"

"And Pikachu sheets," she laughed. "How old were we when _Pokémon _hit America?"

"I was eleven," I replied. "Alice loved it more than I did, though. I outgrew it pretty fast. Emmy once asked me who Pikachu was when she came up here.."

"That's tragic," Bella snorted. "Emerson probably couldn't recognize Charmander or Jigglypuff, either."

"Jigglypuff was a wuss."

"Jigglypuff will write on your forehead for that," she threatened before sitting on the mattress. "Did you and Alice have sleepovers in here?"

"Yes," I answered, sitting next to her. The springs squeaked. "Mom found this mattress at a yard sale for really cheap. It was so much better than my _Duck Tales _sleeping bag."

"_Duck Tales_!" Bella exclaimed. "That was my favorite show!"

"I knew there was a reason I liked you," I teased her, brushing some of her messy curls out of her face.

"I thought it was because I shared my pudding…"

"No, _I _shared _my_ pudding," I corrected her.

"It came from my refrigerator," she grinned, eyes sparkling in the dim light. "This is so nice, Edward. I keep unveiling new layers of you…"

"I like introducing you into my life," I admitted. "You don't know how much it means to me that you've met my family…especially after only two weeks. It's been a bit of a whirlwind relationship—"

She put her fingers over my lips. "It's been perfect," she corrected me. "Don't think about time. You and I are…perfect together. That's all I can say about us."

"I didn't say it was a bad thing," I replied, playfully swiping my tongue against her fingertips. I expected her to giggle and protest, but instead she suddenly flung herself at me, tackling me down to the mattress.

Once she had me down, she rolled over so we were on our sides, our fronts pressed together. She didn't kiss me, but instead let her fingers explore my face. They traced my forehead, my eyelids, my nose, my jaw, and my lips. I kissed her fingers as they played along my mouth. I smoothed her hair down before tracing the shell of her ear. We only stared into each other's eyes, a bit mesmerized with one another.

After an immeasurable moment of gentle touches, she finally pressed her lips to mine. Our kiss was slow and passionate. We had all the time in the world to build up to a more heated kiss—well, we had all night. I snaked my arms around her, wishing that her puffy coat could be gone so I could feel her figure.

As if she read my mind, she wiggled away and removed her coat. I noticed her cheeks were flushed with heat. Mine probably were, too. I let her unzip my coat and push it off my shoulders. Her hands took advantage of my t-shirted torso, feeling the muscles of my chest and stomach. I pulled her back to me and traced her spine with my fingers as she started to kiss me again. Our tongues moved almost sinfully slow with each other. I could feel every curve of her body against mine…

Bella let out a little moan and her perfect white teeth gently nipped my bottom lip. I gave her a moan of my own, and her lips dotted down to kiss my neck. I rolled us so she was on top of me. I worked on seeking out every rib through her thin cotton shirt. Her tongue gently dragged a trail from my collarbone to my jaw.

"Bella," I practically whimpered.

She responded by smacking a kiss to my lips.

"You're so beautiful," I whispered between messy kisses. She smiled and kissed along my cheekbone before giving my ear a nip.

I sighed happily as her tongue swiped the shape of my ear. Deciding to be brave, my hands snuck down to her hips before cupping the seat of her yoga pants.

She froze for a millisecond, and then went back to nibbling my ear. She didn't mind. I ran my fingers along the shape of her bottom, feeling the perfect shape. It was exactly the right size, and firm to the touch.

She kissed the line of my collarbone again before moving her hands to the hem of my shirt. Her warm little palms searched out my bare abs, and her brown eyes practically melted into mine. I pulled her chin down so our mouths could meld together again. If our first kiss in the loft had been slow and passionate, this one was…hot and needy. Lips, tongues, teeth fought for dominance.

I slipped my hands under her shirt to her bare back. The skin there was hot, smooth, and silky, and I wanted to feel more. We were kissing loudly and wetly, our breaths ragged. I wanted more. She wanted more. Her fingers gently stroked my pectorals. I knew she could feel my racing heart. Honestly, I felt like a dumb fifteen-year-old again. I felt like this was my first hot make-out session. I wanted to make it to second base, and then make a homerun, darn it!

I hadn't felt this way since before Emmy was even thought of.

She palmed my nipples, her fingertips focusing there. I took a deep breath and gently ran one finger along the back strap of her bra. It felt lacy, and I imagined a floral lace pattern in a deep blue, just like I liked for her to wear. One of my fingers hooked under her bra strap.

She suddenly bucked above me, moving her knee to rest between my thighs, against the fly of my pajama pants. I knew then that my teenage hormones were back, and I had to stop this.

"Bella, sweetheart…" I mumbled, breaking our kiss.

She pulled her head away and stared at me, breathless, before nodding. "Yeah…I know…"

She worked on catching her breath and moved from on top of me to rest against the wall. "You're right," she admitted. "I just got a little…carried away."

"I don't want to be right," I confessed, a pout clear in my voice.

She gave me a wistful sigh. "I wish you weren't right, too."

I let out a long breath, trying to calm my worked-up body down.

"I'm not on birth control," she murmured quietly, as if she were explaining the situation I was already so aware of. "It's been an unnecessary expense, since I haven't been in a relationship since Jacob…Emerson's father."

My head was still spinning from the warm wetness of her kiss, but I nodded and crept to the other side of the mattress. "Yeah…I didn't plan on that happening when I brought you up here. I understand, Bella. We can go back to the house if you want."

"But we need to discuss this," she said a little firmly, and I could tell in the hazy glow of the lanterns that she was blushing.

I nodded a bit shyly. I didn't understand why I was bashful about this. With Tanya, I was often the one who was pressuring her into more…and more…and more. Not that I was rude about it or anything—she was all too willing to give me everything I wanted (and more)—but I had been such a guy about it.

"I don't want to make this relationship all about sex," she explained. "I want us to…fall in love first. Does that sound silly or fanciful or old-fashioned?"

I bit my lip thoughtfully. "Not silly…maybe old-fashioned…but it makes sense. I'm not going to pressure you into anything you don't want to do, Bella."

She sighed. "Edward, trust me—I _want_ it. I'm just not mentally, emotionally, or financially prepared for another baby. I don't think you are, either."

"I'm not," I agreed.

"And I can't risk adding a new baby to the mix," she continued. "Not while we're still in a new dating relationship."

"I know what you mean," I admitted. "Emmy doesn't need a baby sibling. And even though I'm quite enamored with you, she's still my first priority."

"Good," Bella sighed happily. "So you know how I feel about Emerson, then."

"Yes, I do."

"Thanks for being a gentleman about this," she murmured, leaning over to kiss me once.

"But Bella…you do…want me like that, right?" my ego verified awkwardly.

She rolled her eyes and gave me a bright smile. "Edward, you're quite possibly the most handsome man I've ever seen…yes, I do want you. But I want to _love _you before we have sex. So if we do end up with a little bundle of joy, I know that we'll have a stable foundation. I know I sound like an abstinence brochure, but I fully intend on falling in love with you. So yes, I fully intend on…making love to you. Eventually."

Her admission that she wanted to _fall in love _with me was nearly enough for me to make a truly embarrassing fist pump. Instead of humiliating myself, I pulled her into my arms instead and gave her a tight hug.

She laughed and kissed my cheek. "I'm glad we cleared that up. But I don't want to leave the loft," she pouted.

"We don't have to, sweet girl," I assured her, pulling her down so we were lying on the mattress side-by-side, looking up at the ceiling. I took her hand and squeezed it. "I promise I'll behave myself."

She giggled. "Edward, I was misbehaving, too. Don't blame that…_encounter_…on yourself. Um, so while the stars would be a lot more romantic, the _Beauty and the Beast_ poster on the ceiling is quite gorgeous."

I snorted and rolled on my side to admire her face. "I would rather look at you."

"I think I agree," she replied, rolling to face me. Our hands stayed linked together as we stared at each other's faces.

"Tell me a secret," I suggested.

She pursed her lips together. "Hmm…I'm terrified of mice and wouldn't let Emerson see _Ratatouille._"

I gave her a funny look. "That movie wasn't realistic at all."

"Yes it was. Don't argue with me," she said, playfully glaring at me. "Your turn."

I sighed as I thought of a good secret. My hands went to her curls and luxuriated in the feel of the soft mahogany. Everything about her was soft and warm and beautiful.

"You really want to hear my secret?" I whispered.

She nodded seriously.

"I don't think I'm far off from falling in love with you."

Her typical soft blush colored her cheeks. "Are you just trying to get into my pants, Mr. Cullen?"

"I think you know me better than that," I replied. "You forget that I'm the father of a little girl…I _hate_ any male like that."

She giggled before sighing happily. "Well…here's my secret. I'm not far from falling in love with you, either."

* * *

_I hope everyone had a beautiful Christmas._

_Leave a review if you're not drunk off eggnog and cookies!  
_


	13. Sinterklaas Morning

**Did everyone have a good Christmas?

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Chapter Thirteen: "Sinterklaas Morning" Bella's POV**

"Bella," a soft voice said, warm fingers stroking my face. "Baby, wake up."

I opened one eye and saw Edward sitting on the side of the bed, an amused expression on his face. My first thought was that it was way too early to be waking up, but then I remembered that I was a guest in his parents' home. I tried to fight my sleepy eyes. "Yeah, sweetie?"

"We're going to have breakfast soon," he said, handing me a steaming mug. "If you're as tired as I am, you'll need this."

I suddenly remembered the night we had spent together in his mother's stables. It had been absolutely perfect, from the sweet whispers to the passionate kissing and touching to the admissions that we were falling for each other. The fresh memories made me smile and sit up in bed. "Thank you," I murmured, kissing his cheek as I took the mug from him. It was some kind of foamy latte, with lots of whipped cream. "Wow, this is incredible."

He smiled at me. "I'll let you and your little man get ready for breakfast," he said. "Oh, and Santa was quite generous this year."

I raised my eyebrows. "Our shoes…?"

"Yeah. Check it out, sweet girl." He patted my leg that was covered by the blanket. "I have to go wake Emmy up. See you downstairs in about…thirty minutes."

"Okay."

Edward left the guest room, closing the door behind him. I rolled over to face Emerson, who was sound asleep and snuggled into my side.

"Hey, Clark Kent," I sang happily as I gently shook him awake. "Time to wake up, Superman."

He let out a little groan and snuggled in deeper.

I chuckled and lay down beside him, wrapping my arms around his warm little body. "I know, I don't want to wake up, either," I admitted. "But we have to go eat breakfast with Emmy and Edward."  
A little smile lit his face. I kissed him before running my fingers through his baby-fine hair. "Emerson, sweet love, wake up."

After some more shaking and prodding, he finally yawned and opened his dark eyes to stare at me. "What, Mommy?"

"We have to eat breakfast and see what Grandma Esme left in your shoes," I told him. "Emmy is probably waiting for you."

Blood suddenly stained his cheeks. "Oh…yeah…"

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing," he said quickly. Too quickly. "When are we leaving?"

"Later today. Why? Are you not having fun?"

"No, I'm having _lots_ of fun," he corrected me. "I just need to talk to Emmett. _Fast._"

"Well, you can wait," I told him, kissing his nose. "Come on, let's get you dressed. I have to get a shower." _Because I definitely smell like horses._

I dressed Emerson in jeans and a long-sleeved shirt and made sure he brushed his teeth with his Spiderman toothbrush. We looked in our shoes and I was amazed to find that there was very little candy actually_ in_ my shoes, but instead there were a lot of boxes of fine chocolates and cookies _around_ my shoes. Emerson nearly had a fit over the Marvel superhero candies, gummy bears, chocolate dinosaurs, and kid-friendly snacks like Laffy Taffy and flavored candy canes. I'm sure he had never had so much candy in his life.

"This is _so cool_, Mom!" he shouted.

I laughed. "It is, isn't it? Why don't you go the kitchen thank Grandma Esme and Grandpa Carlisle? I'm going to get ready."

"Okay!" He grabbed a handful of Laffy Taffy.

"Whoa," I said. "We're about to eat breakfast. You can have candy after breakfast."

"_Mom_…"

"I know, I'm no fun," I told him, playfully swatting at him. "I promise, I'll let you indulge after you eat. Go find Edward."

He sighed and started to trudge down the stairs. I went to the bathroom and took a hot shower, washing my body free of any stable stench. After my shower, the coffee Edward had brought me had finally cooled off, so I sipped that as I dressed in a nice sweater and jeans.

I was just finishing my makeup when Emmy suddenly ran into the bathroom with me, a little disposable camera hanging around her neck. "Bella!" she said excitedly. "Bella, come eat!"

"I'm coming," I assured her, being caught off guard as she snapped a picture of me. She was _so_ much like her daddy. "Did you get a lot of candy?"

"Yeah, Grandpa found chocolate dinosaurs!"

I grinned at her. "Yeah, Emerson has chocolate dinosaurs, too. Just a second, sweetie." I carefully applied some sheer lip gloss, studying the mirror so I would do it correctly.

"Can I have some lip gloss?" she asked hopefully, reaching for me. "It's so pretty on you."

I was surprised at how much that meant to me. I wasn't a very girly girl, and honestly, I only wore makeup around Edward. But I liked the fact that a little girl was interested in imitating me. Especially _Edward's_ little girl. I had always wondered what life what have been like if I had been given a baby girl instead of a baby boy. Not that I would trade Emerson for the most adorable little girl in the world, but still, I wondered. Besides, I was thoroughly convinced that Emmy was the most adorable little girl in the world.

"Uh, sure," I said, picking her up and sitting her on the counter. "Here, let me show you how. Open your mouth."

She was very obedient, and held very still as I put little dots of gloss on her tiny lips. "Now smack your lips together," I told her.

She made a loud popping noise as she followed my instructions. I giggled as I saw the little bit of shine on her lips. She looked so pretty, with messy curls being tamed by a pink bow.

"Hey, let's take a picture," I suggested.

"Good idea! Daddy will love it!"

I let her stand on the counter so we were almost level in height, and I turned the disposable camera on us so we could be in the picture together. I had an arm around Emmy's waist, and she looked unbelievably happy. I knew it would be a cute picture that I would want a copy of.

"Let's go eat," I suggested, helping her down to the floor. I grabbed my almost-empty mug and followed her down the stairs.

Breakfast was an incredible affair, with waffles, omelets, biscuits, a lot of different kinds of meats, eggs, pastries…basically any breakfast food you can imagine! I was a little sad that Sinterklaas was almost over.

Carlisle had to go to work after lunch, so that broke up the little party. Emerson and I had to go home, anyway. I had a million errands to run before bills were overdue.

"Come back soon," Carlisle begged me, hugging me tightly and kissing my cheek.  
"Yes, please do," Esme gushed, tears in her eyes. "You don't know how much we love you."

"Mom," Edward rolled his eyes. "She lives across town, not across the country. Don't cry."

I laughed. "I'll be sure to come again."

Alice and Jasper gave me similar goodbyes, and then of course everyone had to fuss over Emerson. Edward, Emmy, and I left the house with our duffel bags and huge bags of candy and other confections.

Edward dropped us off at the apartment, and even gave me a kiss at the door. Emerson glared at him about that, but I knew that our children would have to get used to the fact that Edward and I were a couple. _Might as well start adjusting my jealous little boy now._

As soon as Emmy and Edward had pulled away from our apartment complex and I was turning the heat on in the apartment, Emerson stared at me seriously. "Mom, I _have_ to talk to Emmett."

"Uh, sweetie, next time we see Aunt Rosalie and Emmett, we'll talk to him."

"No!" he exclaimed seriously. "Mom, it's _important_!"

"Well, can't you talk to me about whatever it is?"

He looked horrified. "Mom, you're a _girl_. I need to talk to _Emmett_. He's a _boy._ He _understands_."

I snorted, bending down to help him out of his coat. "Let me call Aunt Rosalie and I'll get his number."

"No, I have to talk to him in person!" my son sighed impatiently.

"You're being dramatic," I rolled my eyes. "Baby, Emmett probably isn't even with Aunt Rosalie."

He huffed and tossed his coat on the floor. I watched him as he stomped away angrily.

"Emerson," I said in a warning tone. "Come back here."

He sighed and walked back to me. "What?"

"I don't understand what the problem is," I tried to say gently, even though he was irritating me. "You can tell me everything."

"Mom, this is about _girl problems,_" he admitted, blushing. "I can't tell you about this. You're a _mom_."

"Of course you can talk to me about it."  
"No, because you're boyfriend-and-girlfriend with Emmy's dad," he said sadly. "You're too close to the situation."

I tried to fight the smile that was threatening to explode across my face. "Too close to the situation, huh? Where did you hear that?"

"Mommy, you're not being funny."

"Ha, okay," I attempted to reply seriously. "Um, well honestly, I think the _situation _is: you're five years old and you're worried about girl problems. That's not much of a situation, sweet boy. You're just being dramatic."

He stomped his foot. "I am not being dramatic! I have feelings, too! You like Edward, and I like…someone…"

I had _never_ seen Emerson be so defiant. I wasn't quite sure what to do. "Uh…okay," I sighed. "I'm really trying to figure this out, baby. Be patient with me. So you're…lovesick?"

"Does that mean that my heart pounds and I get sweaty every time I see her?" he whispered.

I suddenly wanted to pull my baby into a hug. "Uh…yeah, sure," I said.

"Then, yeah. I'm lovesick," he diagnosed himself. "That's why I need to talk to Emmett. Because he knows what it feels like to be a man in love."

I sighed. This could get complicated. My _five-year-old_ was professing his _love_ for my boyfriend's daughter. "Okay. Let me talk to Aunt Rosalie and see when we can come over so you can talk to Emmett. But don't be so rude to me again. Even if you've found another girl, I'm still your mommy."

"Thank you," he said, sounding relieved. "I need to talk to him as soon as possible."

"Yeah, yeah, I figured that," I said a bit weakly. "How did you grow up so fast?"

He rolled his eyes and walked away from me.

I chuckled and hung our coats up before finding my phone. I gave Rosalie a brief synopsis of the entire conversation. She thought it was the funniest and cutest thing she had ever heard, and told me that Emmett would be having dinner at her house. She invited us over.

"Six o'clock," I called to Emerson, taking his bags of candy to the kitchen.

"Okay, Mom!" was his reply from his bedroom.

I worked on rationing the candy into tiny Ziploc bags he could take in his lunchbox to school. This kid had more candy than he did on Halloween. While I packed the candy away, I snuck a few pieces of my own more grown-up candy. The European rum-filled chocolates were divine. I was going to have to put those on the top shelf.

I tried not to giggle as Edward's name lit up my phone. "Hey, handsome," I answered the phone brightly.

"You're not going to believe this," he said quietly.

"What?"

"My daughter is in love with your son," he practically whimpered. "What am I supposed to do about this?"

I laughed. "I've been dealing with the same situation. Calm down, Papa Bear. It's not really love, and you know it. It's a schoolyard crush."

"I know," he said pitifully, "but it's awful! She's torn between her affection or Emerson and her affection for Jasper. Where does that leave Daddy?"

"Edward, you're so unbelievably cute."

"Apparently your son is, too."

"Oh, hush," I rolled my eyes. "She's _five. _Save your jealousy for when she's fourteen and has her first real date."

"Fourteen? Try twenty!"

I giggled. "She's going to hate you if you keep that up."

"That's what I'm afraid of."

He sounded so terrified. "Well…maybe we need to let them know that you and I are going to get serious."

"Yeah," he sighed. "I feel like such a cottonheaded ninnymuggins."

"You watched _Elf_!" I exclaimed.

"Yes, I meant to tell you that. Emmy and I loved it." He sighed again. "So…about the getting serious thing…"

"We'll take it as it comes," I decided. "There's no need to rush anything. Just…don't think about the fact that Emmy is growing up…and go take some pictures of her or something."

He snorted. "Good advice. Come have dinner with us tomorrow night. My place."

"Alright," I smiled. "Sounds good. Can I bring anything?"

"Nah, I think we're just going to make our own pizzas, if that's okay," he said. "Five thirty?"

"Sounds great." Emerson loved pizza, but he only got to eat it once in a blue moon. I knew he would be excited.

"Alright. Well, I have to go," he said sadly. "Text me."

"I will," I snickered. "'Bye, sweetie."

"'Bye, honey."

I hung up, that feeling creeping over me again. I never could quite figure out what it was…

I suddenly remembered Emerson's words from earlier: _my heart pounds and I get sweaty every time I see her._

Yup, I was lovesick.

* * *

_So, what did Santa leave you? And what did you think of this chapter? Let me know in a review!  
_


	14. The Talk

**Thank you to whoever nominated me to the "Pregnant Bella and Dad-ward" community! I was quite shocked to go to one of my favorite communities and see my story right at the top of the list!**

**Also, I'm sorry for not posting sooner. Life has been cuh-razy with exams and vacation and blah blah blah. Plus I've been focusing on my other work in progress, "Aftershocks." But I think there will be two more chapters of PD after this one, and then it will be complete.

* * *

**

**Chapter Fourteen: "The Talk" Edward's POV  
**

"Did you have a good Sinterklaas, sweet love?" I asked my daughter as I drove toward our apartment, already missing the scent of Bella in my car. I wondered if it would be weird to just lean over and sniff the leather seat.

"Yeah!" Emmy exclaimed. "We should invite Emerson and Bella over for Christmas!"

I laughed softly. "I think they already have plans with Emerson's grandpa," I said a little sadly. "But maybe New Year's? I'll have to talk to Bella about it."

"That's a good idea," she agreed. "Can Emerson come over tomorrow?"

"I don't know, baby girl."

"Or tonight?"

I grinned at her in the rearview mirror. "Emmy, Bella has a life, too. She has to work and take care of her house and everything. Plus Emerson probably likes to have alone time with his mommy."

"I know," she sighed. "I just _really_ like playing with him."

"I know you do. I'm really glad you have such a good friend," I said sincerely.

"Daddy?" she asked me softly, looking down at the plastic brontosaurus she always kept in my Volvo.

"Yeah?" I asked, a little hesitant because her cheeks were suddenly blushing red.

"Why did you kiss Bella?"

I bit my lip that still tasted a little like my girlfriend. _Well…I might as well just go ahead and call her that. _"Because I like her as more than a friend," I admitted. Suddenly, I realized that she might use this as an excuse to go kiss boys, and my daddy instincts sent me backtracking. "And Bella and I are adults and we're allowed to kiss each other because of that."

She kind of blinked at me for a few seconds, and then she nodded. "Ohhhh. Okay."

"Are you okay with that, my love?" I asked gently.

She pursed her lips together, deep in thought. "Um…yeah, I guess. It means I get to play with _Emerson_ more."

There was something about the way she said his name that sent chills down my spine. Not that it was creepy or eerie or anything. It just scared the living daylights out of me. Her voice grew very soft around his name, and a dreamy expression crossed her face. And then she would start to blush.

"Yeah," I said listlessly, trying not to think about my little girl having a crush.

"Daddy, can I ask a question?"

I chuckled. "Emmy, you ask more questions than most adults I know. I'm always open to your questions."

She grinned guiltily. "Yeah, I know. Um, is Bella your love, too?"

I had just pulled into the parking lot of my apartment complex. I put the car in park and turned to stare at her. "Wait, what?"

"You always call me your 'love'," she explained quietly. "Do you call Bella that?"

I cut the engine, hopped out of the car, opened the back door, and swiftly pulled her out of her car-seat. I held her close to my chest and stared into her green eyes—my green eyes—as I spoke. "Emily Juliet, you are my only love. I love you so much more than I could ever love Bella. One day I might fall in love with Bella, but you are _always_ my first love."

"I know that," she assured me. "I just don't want to share that name with anyone."

I smiled and kissed the tip of her nose. "I'll try to limit it to just you. If you hear me accidentally call Bella that, and it bothers you, tell me. You know that Grandma calls me her love, just like she calls Grandpa her love. And you, and Aunt Alice, and Uncle Jasper…it's just a natural thing to say. But if you don't like me calling anyone else that, then that name will be reserved for you."

She smiled a genuine smile full of sunshine, and kissed my cheek. "Good. I love you, Daddy."

"I love you too, sweet love," I replied, kissing her and holding her tight. "Are you up for some hot apple cider?"

"Yes, please!"

I grabbed our bag and Emmy's candy and managed to carry them inside while I still held her. I ran to kick the heat on and then went to the kitchen with Emmy.

"I wonder if Emerson likes cider," she pondered as I pulled the jug out of the refrigerator.

"I don't know," I admitted.

"Emerson loves his chocolate dinosaurs."

"I'm sure."

"Do you know what else Emerson loves, Daddy?"

I turned to look at her between pouring mugs of cider. "What's that?"

"_Me,_" she said proudly.

You know how when you hear something brutally shocking it's like a train is rushing through your head? Your temples ache, your ears ring, and your throat suddenly feels raw.

I had the entire Trans-Siberian Railway chugging through my brain.

"Whoa, whoa, wait," I said, the big green monster of jealousy clawing his way out of my heart. "Baby girl, you're five years old."

She gave me an arrogant glance. "Yeah, I'm in _kindergarten_ now, Daddy."

"That's my point," I muttered.

The silence was thick for a few minutes as I pondered this. Finally, I came up with a good argument. "What about Uncle Jasper, Emmy?"

She shrugged. "I can have two boyfriends." She turned to leave the kitchen.

"Whoa, hold your horses," I said, pulling her back to me. "You cannot have two boyfriends. You can't even have _one_ boyfriend, except for Uncle Jasper."

"Jessica is Mike's girlfriend and Tyler's girlfriend," she replied, rolling her eyes in that adorable way of hers that marked her as a true ball-buster…at least, where her daddy was concerned.

"That's not good," I said simply. "I can't have two girlfriends. If Bella was my girlfriend and Rosalie was also my girlfriend, they would both feel very hurt."

She sighed. "I guess that's true. So what do I do?"

"I'm Team Jasper," I admitted. _At least he's a good sport about pretending._

"What do you mean?" she asked me.

I sighed. "Maybe you should…think about this…choice."

She rolled her eyes again. "Fine. Can I have my cider?"

"Yeah, let me warm it up."

After we finished our cider, Emmy went to her bedroom to play. Which was good. I was physically exhausted from my late night with Bella, but now I was _mentally_ exhausted from my discussion with Emmy. I had no idea how I was going to handle The Sex Talk when she was old enough for that. _Hey, sweetie! I brought you one of Grandpa's medical textbooks. I want you to study it carefully. Oh, and here's a chastity belt…you'll understand after you read all four-hundred pages._

I grabbed my cell phone and went and laid down on my bed. Bella was already on speed dial, so I dialed her instantly.

"Hey, handsome," she said happily. It sounded like she had a trace of a giggle in her voice.

Her voice calmed me down quickly, but I still had news to share. "You're not going to believe this," I said lowly so Emmy wouldn't hear.

"What?" she asked curiously.

I sighed and squeaked out my complaint like a puppy being kicked repeatedly. "My daughter is in love with your son. What am I supposed to do about this?"

* * *

_I hate repeating conversations from different points of view, so I just left it there since we heard it from Bella's side._

_Since there are only two chapters left, does anyone want to review as much as possible before it's over? Ha.  
_


	15. The Choice

**Okay, so I lied. I had the final two chapters written, and then I decided that I ended it much too abruptly and it wouldn't be nice for my more curious readers. So there will be more than two chapters left. I'm not sure how many, but less than five. Hopefully.

* * *

Chapter Fifteen: "The Choice" Bella's POV**

"Hey, guys!" Rosalie said brightly as she met us at the door that night. "Dinner is almost ready. Emerson, do you want me to leave cheese off your burger?"

"I don't care," he said briskly. "Where is Emmett?"

Rose stifled a giggle. "He's in the living room, sweetie."

Emerson tore into the house and started running toward the living room. "Emmett!" he called. "I'm here!"

"I have no idea what to do with my little Casanova," I admitted to Rose as I entered her house and shed my coat. "I'm getting jealous already."

"Let's go eavesdrop," she winked. "Come on."

We took another path to her bedroom, which was close to the living room. We could hear everything that was going on in the next room.

"What's the deal, Superman?" Emmett asked him.

"I'm having _girl problems_," Emerson confessed. "I need your advice."

Emmett coughed, obviously hiding his chuckle. "Okay, you've come to the right place. Call me the love guru."

Rosalie rolled her eyes. "He wishes."

"Shh," I hissed.

"Okay, love guru," my son said seriously. "I'm in love…"

"That's great," Emmett replied. I could hear the smile in his voice.

"With two women," he finished.

My best friend and I exchanged a glance. This was news to me.

"Alright, you're a player!" Emmett exclaimed. Rosalie snorted, but I wanted to kick her boyfriend's butt. I did _not_ want my son to be a "player" like his father was.

"What's a _player_?" Emerson queried, the innocence I loved so much shining through. I thanked my lucky stars.

"Never mind," the man backtracked. "So, who are the lucky girls?"

My baby let out a long sigh. "Uh, well Emmy, obviously…"

"She's gorgeous," Emmett approved. "Good job, man."

"And Aunt Rosalie," he added in a whisper.

There was a beat of silence in the living room. Suddenly Rose and I were in silent giggles. We tried to contain them, but this whole scene was just so darn adorable.

Emmett let out a small laugh, and I could just picture Emerson crossing his arms and glaring. "Emmett, I'm being serious," he said sternly.

"I know," Emmett replied. "I'm sorry, little man. Uh, so what's the problem?"

"Well, I have to choose one to be my girlfriend," Emerson explained like Emmett was the kindergartener in this situation. "And I can't decide which one to choose."

"This is so cute," Rosalie whispered to me. "Why am I not recording this?"

I simply nudged her. It was indeed cute, but I was jealous. I couldn't help it. It was like Edward with Emmy.

"Okay," Emmett said slowly. "Well…which one do you like more?"

"Oh, no, Emmett," my son replied in a solemn tone. "This isn't a _like_ situation. This is a _love _situation."

"My bad," Emmett immediately said. "Which one do you _love_ more?"

"I don't know," Emerson admitted. "How can I tell?"

"Uh…" Emmett was obviously deep in thought. "Who do you like to hang out with more?"

"I love to play with Emmy, but I love to play with Aunt Rosalie, too," Emerson replied. "It's a tie."

"Alrighty…" Emmett sighed. "Which one do you have more in common with?"

"Hmm." Emerson paused. "Well, Emmy is in kindergarten and loves dinosaurs…but Aunt Rosalie has all of the _Batman _movies on DVD. We sometimes have Batman days, just the two of us when Mommy has to work on Saturday."

"Great foundation for a relationship," I muttered, earning a wink from Rose.

Emmett snickered. "Alright, buddy. How do you feel when you're around Emmy?"

"I don't know…fine, I guess? I love to play with her and it makes me really excited when she teaches me something new about dinosaurs."

"But you don't feel…dizzy, or something?"

I could just picture Emmett scratching his head as he searched for the appropriate words for this situation.

"No," Emerson admitted. "I just have fun with her."

"Okay, so how do you feel around Aunt Rosalie?"

Emerson let out a long sigh. "I feel…like I'm _floating_. Like I'm in a hot air balloon...and my heart goes _dum-dum, dum-dum, dum-dum_. Because she is so pretty."

Rosalie's face lit up. She giggled before sticking her lip out at me. "Bella, he is the sweetest kid alive. I think I'm waiting until he's eighteen and then I'm marrying him. Will you be my mother-in-law?"

I playfully smacked her in the head and turned my attention back to my little charmer.

"Well," Emmett was saying, "it sounds like you need to be with Aunt Rosalie."

"I think you're right," Emerson agreed quietly. "Aunt Rosalie and I have been together ever since I can remember, anyway. But how do I tell Emmy? I know she is in love with me."

"Let her down easy, little man," Emmett suggested. "A woman's heart breaks really easily."

"Okay," Emerson sighed. "I'll have to think about it. Thanks, Emmett."

"No problem, kiddo. I'm always here for you. I know it's not cool to talk to your mama about some of this stuff."

My heart swelled with gratitude toward Emmett. I was so glad Emerson finally had a male influence in his life. "He's great, Rose," I whispered to her.

"Both of my men are," she agreed with true emotion in her voice.

But Emerson's voice caught our attention. "Oh, Emmett? Does it bother you that I'm Aunt Rosalie's boyfriend?"

"Not at all. You had her first," Emmett said cheerfully. I was happy he could play along with my son's childish whims.

"Good," Emerson said snappily. "Not that your approval would matter anyway."

Rosalie and I started laughing again. I suddenly heard noises that only meant Emmett had somehow tackled Emerson and was probably hurling him onto the couch.

"We better go back to the kitchen," I mumbled. Rose nodded and we sneakily slipped down the hall. She was pulling a cookie sheet full of French fries out of the oven when Emmett joined us, Emerson on his shoulders.

"I made you a plain hamburger, just like you like it, boyfriend," Rosalie said, staring at Emerson with adoring eyes. She definitely was a second mother to him.

"Thanks, baby," my son replied, and we couldn't hold in the giggles any more. The adults all laughed. Emerson was apparently very proud of his unintentional joke.

"You're welcome, _baby_," Rose winked at him.

Emerson was in a considerably brighter mood when we went home that night. I tucked him into bed with a kiss and a bedtime story. I didn't have any text messages from Edward, which was disappointing. As I curled up in my bed, I fired this message to him:

_Is it creepy that I miss you already?_

His reply was almost instantaneous:

**_If it's creepy, then we can be creepers together. I wish I had you to hold in my arms tonight._**

I smiled as I thought of our steamy night in the barn loft. It was true that I wished we could have another night like that tonight. I hadn't been physical with a man in five years. I truly missed it. I sort of felt like Edna Pontellier experiencing an awakening-at least where sex was concerned. I sent back:

_So you're saying that you miss me and really want to kiss me?_

**_That's exactly what I'm saying, sweet girl. Come toss a pebble at my window. It's your turn._**

I giggled and replied with:

_Sorry, I'm spending the night with a very handsome, very jealous man. I don't think you want to mess with him._

**_You're probably right. I'm about to have to kiss my redhead good night, anyway. I'm mentally sending kisses your way._**

_I'm mentally accepting them, Edward. Good night, sleep tight!_

**_Good night. Sleep sweet and dream sweeter._**

I sighed happily and rolled over to turn my lamp out. I had very good dreams that night.

* * *

_Since I'm extending the story for the sake of YOU, can you leave a review?_


	16. The Solution

**Alright, this is kind of a big announcement to me! I just found out last night that one of my readers-_edwardsgirly4eva_-nominated "Play Dates" for a Best Story award at the TwiFiction Awards. Thank you so much! You have no idea how much this means for me. Now, I don't know anything about fanfiction awards, but if you're interested in nominating me/my stories for anything, search for a story called "TwiFiction Awards" and you can leave a review as a nomination. It would be pretty cool if I could score some awards.  
**

**Again, thank you, _edwardsgirly4eva_! This chapter is for you!

* * *

**

**Chapter Sixteen: "The Solution" Bella's POV**

The next night, Emerson and I went to Edward's apartment, as planned. Emerson and Emmy ran off together as soon as we stepped through the door. That was certainly fine with me—it meant Edward could give me a nice long kiss. I wrapped my arms around his waist and took every inch he would give me.

He finally broke the kiss and then pressed his lips to my forehead. "I missed you."

It was so silly—it had been only a day since we had seen each other—but I agreed with him. I felt like we were on a teenager's calendar, where every day seems like a year and a month-long relationship is considered to be a success. "I missed you, too," I admitted.

He smiled and nuzzled his nose to my hair. "I've already put the dough into the oven. We can go relax for a while."

"Sounds perfect."

I shed my coat, called for Emerson to take his coat off (and was probably ignored), and then we went to the living room. "So how is the Emmy and Emerson situation?" I teased him as I sat next to him on the couch and cuddled into his side.

He let out a long breath. "Uh…I could kill your son…if he was some other kid. At least I know Emerson is nice."

I laughed. "Jealousy isn't attractive," I reminded him rather hypocritically.

"Yeah, yeah," he rolled his eyes playfully, stroking my hair. "Emmy thinks she can have two boyfriends at once—Emerson and Jasper."

I giggled. "That's actually really cute, Edward. They'll be over this crush in no time."

"Yeah, yeah," he said again. "So are your Christmas plans set in stone?"

"We're going to Forks to have Christmas with my dad," I explained. "He bought Emerson some really nice gifts, while I have only been able to buy him one. So we're just going to put all the gifts under the tree and not tell Emerson who bought what."

"That's a really smart idea," Edward replied admiringly. "No Santa Claus?"

I shook my head. "No Santa. I can't stand to lie to my poor baby."

He smiled. "Emmy doesn't believe, either. She just plays along with Sinterklaas."

"I think Emmy is too clever to believe," I remarked. "She knows reindeer can't fly. In fact, a pterodactyl probably makes more sense to her."

He laughed. "You're probably right," he nodded. "She is definitely related to my father."

"I wish you could come down and meet my father," I told him. "Sometime soon, maybe. Emerson talked about you a lot over Thanksgiving and Charlie is…curious."

"Charlie?"

"My dad," I filled in. "Charlie and Renee. I was never one to use the appropriate names."

"Do you ever talk to your mom?"

I shook my head. "No…I really don't want to, either. She kicked me out when I got pregnant, and I haven't heard from her since. That's why I came up to Washington. I sent her pictures of Emerson, but I never got a reply."

"Do you wish you could have a relationship with her?"

I shrugged. "Well, yeah, because we used to be really close. But I don't want her around my son if she can't love him."

"That's sad," he mumbled. "Tanya's parents kicked her out when she got pregnant, too. She came to live with us, had the baby, and then made her great escape. I just can't imagine ever kicking Emmy out for anything. The thought makes me sick."

"That's because you're a good daddy," I reminded him, cupping his chin in my hand. "I've never seen a man love his daughter so much."

He gave me a crooked grin that made my insides turn to jelly. "Obviously you haven't been around my dad and Alice enough."

"I don't think even that could compare," I said seriously. "You're a great daddy. Emmy is so lucky to have you."

"Thank you, Bella," he said gratefully. "I sometimes need to hear that from time to time."

I smiled at him and gave him a kiss. "I'm always here if you need to be reminded of how wonderful of a man you are."

He wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me into his lap, and kissed the spot just under my jaw. I indulged him with a few more kisses.

"Mom!" my favorite voice in the world exclaimed, sounding annoyed.

I broke the kiss with blushing cheeks and turned to my son. "Yeah, sweetie?"

"What are you _doing_?" His eyes were wide.

I took in a ragged breath. "What do you need, handsome?"

He sighed and glared at me. "I brought my _Dinosaurs_ DVD but I left it in the car. Can I go get it?"

"I will," I replied. "Well, first ask Edward if you can use his TV."

"Of course you can, buddy," Edward said cheerfully. "Hey, what pizza toppings do you like?"

I scrambled out of Edward's lap as Emerson started discussing the merits of a cheese-only pizza. I don't know why I was so embarrassed that my son had caught me making out. I was an adult, for crying out loud, and I deserved to be able to do adult things like kissing my boyfriend. I retrieved the DVD and ran into the house.

The smell of the dough caught my attention. I went to the kitchen and pulled the oven up. It was about to burn. I pulled the cookie sheet out and placed it on the stove before turning the oven off. Edward had used Pillsbury croissant dough. It smelled and looked heavenly.

He ran into the kitchen and saw me rescuing our dinner. "I was about to do that," he said sheepishly, a blush spreading across his skin.

"I've got it," I winked at him.

"Emmy! Emerson!" he called. "Dinner is ready!"

It sounded like a stampede as the kids raced to the kitchen. Emerson immediately ran to me and wrapped himself around my leg.

"What's wrong, Clark Kent?" I asked him, ruffling his hair.

"Pick me up," he requested, a brilliantly manipulative smile on his face.

"You're awfully heavy," I reminded him. "You're going to be a lot bigger than Mommy."

"_Please?_"

I obeyed his request, balancing him on my hip. He _was_ heavy, but he helped me out by wrapping his arms and legs around me, like a koala bear. "You're like the Incredible Hulk," I told him, squeezing his undeveloped bicep.

He used his arms to do a muscleman pose. I laughed and kissed his cheek.

Edward was cutting the dough into triangle-shaped pieces. He had various pizza toppings laid out on the counter.

"Can I help you with anything?" I asked him. Emerson frowned and squeezed me tighter, resting his head on my shoulder. _Is he jealous of Edward?_ I wondered.

"Nah, I've got it, but thank you."

"Daddy," Emmy said, "can I help?"

He looked down at her with a smile. "You're going to make your own pizza, I promise."

"But I want to help _you._"

He picked her up and sat her on the counter. "Why don't you get some glasses from the cabinet above you?"

After she retrieved the glasses, she stood on the counter and sort of fell on top of Edward as he sliced the dough. "Whoa, Emmy!" he exclaimed, catching her. "Don't do that. You could hurt both of us."

"I want to sit on your shoulders," she decided.

"Not over the hot stove. Here, get on my back."

She squirmed so she was piggyback on him, grasping him tightly. For some reason, I had the feeling that Emerson wasn't the only jealous child. I really hoped this relationship wasn't causing problems for our kids.

"Alright," Edward said. "The dough is cut. You kids can make your pizzas at the kitchen table if you want, then go watch Emerson's movie."

"Cool!" Emmy exclaimed. "Daddy, take me to the table."

"Emmy, you're five years old," he reminded her calmly. "And I'm an old man. Time to get down."

She grumbled as he gracefully sat her on her feet, but went to the kitchen table.

"You, too," I told Emerson. "Go with Emmy. Mommy's arms are killing her."

He sighed, but went to sit by his friend.

Making pizzas was actually a lot of fun. Emmy tried to draw a dinosaur with her cheese, while Emerson was more successful at making a smiley face. Edward poured marinara sauce on my dough and used his spoon to mold it into the shape of a heart.

After the kids were satisfied with their edible masterpieces, they went to the living room, leaving Edward and me alone. We were free to flirt again. I took a green pepper and put it to his lips.

His white teeth accepted it in a very sexy way, his lips slightly wrapping around my finger. He was _so_ beautiful, _so_ sexy, _so_ amazing, and _so _perfect. Way to perfect to be with me.

He coated his fingertip in marinara sauce and ran it along my bottom lip before leaning in and cleaning it with his tongue. Never before had pizza been so delicious.

Needless to say, we had a _lot_ of fun with the pizza, but eventually we were full and dishes had to be washed. I could hear the familiar voices of the dinosaur puppets on TV, so I knew the kids were fine. Edward quietly washed dishes while I dried them.

"I hope this relationship is okay with them," he mused softly.

I bit my lip. "Yeah…me, too."

"Maybe we should tone down the PDA," he suggested.

I playfully splashed bubbles onto him. "Only in front of them."

He gave me a mock-glare. "Miss Swan, you do _not _want to start that game."

I splashed him again.

He laughed and splashed the warm water on me, soaking my shirt.

"Edward!" I exclaimed, swiping up some bubbles and putting them on his chin. "That wasn't nice!"

He smiled and went back to washing dishes. I got another good splash in before he suddenly pinned me against the counter, his lips on my neck.

"You're being _bad,_" he whispered, mouth dancing along the shell of my ear.

"You said no more PDA," I reminded him, my hands going to his hips. He had beautiful hips, so perfectly symmetrical with each other.

"They're not watching."

I gave him a loud kiss and pushed him away. "Come on, let's finish the dishes. By the way, I'm soaked."

"How did you get wet?" he asked innocently, returning to his side of the sink.

"I think this guy splashed me," I said, playing along. "Isn't that so rude of him?"

He smirked and started to say something, but he paused and cocked his ear toward the living room. I gave him a funny look and he shook his head. Taking my hand, we walked to the edge of the kitchen, where our children were.

Emerson was talking. "Emmy, I really like you," he was saying, "but there is another woman in my life."

"Who is it?" Emmy asked quietly.

Edward's face hardened—I couldn't tell if it was because his little girl was being rejected or because she was interested in a boy. I squeezed his hand and kept listening.

"Aunt Rosalie," Emerson admitted. "We've been together for like five years now. I can't just break up with her."

"Ohhh," Emmy said, and I could picture her bronze curls bouncing as she nodded. "Well, I'm kind of like that, too. I'm in love with Uncle Jasper…and he's kind of a better boyfriend than you are. Uncle Jasper can buy me presents."

Edward nearly lost it then. I put a hand over his mouth to make him hold in the giggles.

"Yeah, you deserve a boyfriend who can buy you presents," Emerson nodded. "Aunt Rosalie likes Batman anyway…and you don't. So we're friends?"

"Friends," Emmy agreed happily.

"Cool," Emerson said. "Hey, do you want to watch _Toy Story?_ It has a dinosaur."

"Sure! I love Rex!" she exclaimed.

Edward and I exchanged a glance. "You're raising a golddigger," I whispered to him.

He gave me a playful swat on my bottom. "Oh, please. You're raising a player."

"I am not!"

He grinned, kissed my forehead, and led me back into the kitchen. "So, do you want to make brownies to celebrate the fact that our kids have gotten over their crushes?"

"Sure."

If I thought pizza was sexy, brownies were even sexier.

* * *

Edward, Emmy, Emerson, and I spent as much time together as possible in the weeks before Christmas. However, Emerson had winter break, and I was able to get enough time off to go to Forks, so that's what we did. Christmas with Charlie was great…at least, until I had to tell him I was in a relationship with someone. I was so nervous about that.

Somehow, he was cool with it. And even Emerson wanted to tell his grandpa all about Edward—even more than over Thanksgiving. I made breakfast one morning and as I brought the food to the dining room table, Emerson was saying, "And me and Emmy walked in on them _kissing_ on the _couch_. Grandpa, what do you think about that?"

My entire body seemed to glow bright red. I froze, praying that the floorboards could just open up and swallow me whole.

"Well, son," Charlie said slowly. "I think that your mommy is an adult and she can do adult things like that."

"She's going to get _cooties_."

Charlie gave me a small grin. "When you're an adult, cooties no longer affect you, right, Bells?"

"Right," I said weakly, still blushing. "Um, who wants homemade waffles?"

Later that day, it was snowing again. Charlie and I stood on the back porch while Emerson played and tumbled in the snow. "So, it's getting pretty serious?" my dad asked me.

I shrugged. "We're not rushing into anything. We're just enjoying each other."

"Emerson seems to like him."

"I hope to God he does," I sighed. "Because if he doesn't like Edward, then Edward will no longer be a part of my life."

"You're a good mom, Bells. But maybe you need to consider the fact that Emerson won't be the only man in your life for forever. Have you met the boy's family?"

I nodded. "Yeah, we had a big event over at his house. They're all great. Filthy rich, but great."

"Is Edward…well-off?" he tried to ask delicately.

I shook my head. "No, they don't support him at all. He works for a magazine and doesn't make a lot of money. Emmy is in the same boat as Emerson."

"Nothing wrong with that," Charlie smiled. "It sounds like you two are good for each other. I want to meet him."

I gave him a funny look. "Really?"

"Of course I do."

I chewed on my lip for a while. "Okay. I'll try to figure something out. You can come up to Seattle or we can come down here. Of course, if Edward and Emmy come down here, they'll have to stay at your house. Somebody would have to sleep with somebody."

Charlie gave me a stern look. "Someone can sleep on the fold-out couch. That boy isn't getting in _your_ bed."

* * *

_Does anyone remember the "Dinosaurs" TV show from the '90s? It was a bunch of puppet dinosaurs. That's what Emerson and Emmy were watching, even though I have no idea if it's on DVD. (I used to love that show, especially the baby. "Not the mama, not the mama!" If you have no idea what I'm talking about_,_ go to the YouTube channel** dinosaurstv**.)_

_Two more chapters, I think. Maybe three. We'll see._

_What about a review? I love them more than pizza. And I would love to know if you remember "Dinosaurs."  
_


	17. Christmas

**A cornucopia of thanks to anyone who nominated me for anything in the TwiFiction awards. It seems that you guys really love Emerson and Emmy...and EJ and Abby ("Battle Scars," if you haven't read it). If you want to see what all I have been nominated for, it's all on my profile. I'm quite overwhelmed.**

**Special thanks to TwilightNJonas4Ever for nominating "Play Dates" for a Best Story award. This chapter is for you!**

* * *

**Chapter Seventeen: "Christmas" Bella's POV**

For some reason, I always loved Christmas Eve more than Christmas. There is something that hangs in the air on Christmas Eve-anticipation, eagerness, and a sort of magic. My mother used to have Christmas Eve traditions with me, but I never had the heart to honor her by passing them on to Emerson. So instead, I started my own traditions for me, Emerson, and Charlie.

I always cooked a nice festive holiday dinner-turkey, dressing, and the like. Afterward we always drank hot chocolate, made gingerbread men, and watched a movie of Emerson's choice by the Christmas tree. Charlie was somewhat clumsy with the baking, but he never had a problem with eating. He had started his own tradition by buying Emerson a new superhero ornament every year. Emerson would have to search his tree for the ornament. Christmas Eve was strange for me when I moved in with Charlie, but five years later, it was just as cozy as can be. We nearly went into food comas from the huge meal. Emerson found his ornament and loved it. This year, it was Spiderman. He looked like he was hanging from the tree by a web. Emerson picked an old _Star Wars_ movie from Charlie's DVD collection, and we settled in for our last tradition of the night. Charlie sat in his recliner, as usual, and I laid on the couch with my baby.

"Mommy, when do we open presents?" he asked me, lying on top of me and pressing his warm little palms to my cheeks.

"Tomorrow morning. You know that, sweet pea," I said.

He gave me a pouty look.

Half an hour later, Charlie laughed softly as we realized Emerson was asleep, snuggled into my side. "He loves you so much, Bells. You're doing such a good job. It sucks for Renee that she's missing all of this."

I shrugged. "There's nothing I can do but be a good mommy."

"You want me to take him to bed so we can wrap presents?"

"You mean so that _I_ can wrap presents?" I teased him.

He grinned sheepishly.

I knew that Charlie loved to tuck him in. "Go for it," I smiled at him. "Enjoy him while he's here."

He happily scooped Emerson up and took him upstairs. I hopped off the couch and went outside to my car, where Emerson's bicycle was still in the trunk. I had to sneak it there while he was asleep the night before we left. I clumsily carried it, along with his helmet and pads, into the house.

Charlie joined me in the living room with a bunch of shopping bags. "I don't think you can wrap that," he remarked, looking at the bike.

"Yeah. I think you're right. I'll put a bow on it. What did you get for him?"

He held up a Nintendo DSi box with a few other little boxes for the game cartridges.

"Thank you so much, Dad," I said, tears springing to my eyes. "You don't know how much this means."

He blushed, obviously uncomfortable. "Bells, I love to spoil him. It's my job as a grandpa. Don't worry about it. It's not like I spend my money on anything other than fishing tackle and pizza, anyway."

I laughed softly. "Well, thank you anyway," I said, hugging him and kissing his cheek.

He let out one of his signature _humph_s and held up something else. It was a Batman-themed accessory set for the DSi, with a cover, a carrying case, a stylus, earphones, and even a car charger for it.

"Seriously Dad, how much did all of this cost?" I asked him.

He waved me off. "Let's get to wrapping. I have to wrap something for you."

"Dad..."

"Bella, you're still my baby girl. Don't argue with me."

I sighed and started wrapping the gifts. Charlie had some festive-looking gift bags out and it took me a while to notice that he was slipping more gifts for Emerson into the bags. Finally, I grabbed a bag and looked inside, much to his displeasure. There were a few comic books. I grabbed another one and saw a toy lightsaber.

"Dad..." I repeated.

"Bella..." he smirked.

I sighed. "You're spoiling him."

"That's my job," he said again.

I groaned and started wrapping again.

Finally, we were all ready. The gifts were under the tree, and the bicycle was conspicuously standing next to it with a big red bow on the handlebars. I kissed Charlie good night and tried to nonchalantly grab a roll of wrapping paper. I still had to wrap his gifts.

Emerson and I couldn't give Charlie much, but we managed to find something. Edward printed multiple prints of Emerson and I in the snow. I bought a large picture frame with lots of slots for different pictures. (On sale fifty percent off-yes!) There were pictures of me, Emerson, and even some of us posing together. And Emerson had made him a clay bowl in his kindergarten class. It had fish on it, because Emerson loved to fish with his grandpa. I knew Charlie would love it-on his refrigerator, he still had some of_ my_ kindergarten drawings Renee had sent him!

I wrapped them carefully in the floor as Emerson slept on the bed. I could still hear Charlie moving around downstairs, so once the packages were wrapped, I just set them on my old desk and crawled into bed with my most valuable little treasure.

Instinctively, he rolled over and snuggled into me, resting his head on my shoulder. His body was so warm and his breathing was so steady, I quickly fell asleep, but not before whispering, "I love you, baby."

* * *

That didn't last long. The next thing I knew, I was being roused from my sleep by an excited squeal. "Wake up, Mommy!" Emerson shouted, jumping on the bed. "It's Christmas!"  
I opened my sleepy eyes. "Hmm?"

"It's Christmas!" he said again. "I'm going to go wake up Grandpa!"

I smiled. "Quit jumping on the bed, sweetie. And don't go downstairs until I tell you to."

He ran to Charlie's room. I got out of bed, grabbed Charlie's gifts, and went downstairs. I stashed them under the tree, noticing a few more bags that weren't there last night, and went to make a pot of coffee. The two old ones would need caffeine.

"Can I come down, Mommy?" Emerson shouted, pulling a lethargic Charlie to the stairs.

"Yeah," I said.

The pair ran downstairs. As soon as Emerson saw all the gifts, his eyes widened. "Oh my gosh! That's for me?" he yelled excitedly.

I laughed, totally in love with the awe in his face. "Yes, sweetie. Come on, let's open."

He walked to the bicycle and gingerly touched it, his eyes alight. "A superhero bike!" he practically giggled. "It's so cool! Thanks, Mom!"

I smiled and kissed his cheek. "You're welcome, sweetheart." The look on his face was enough to bring me happiness for the rest of my life.

Christmas was _so_ much better when you had a child to surprise.

"Did Grandpa buy the rest?" he asked me.

Charlie coughed. "Me and your mom bought them together while you were at school, son. They're from both of us."

"Cool!" Emerson exclaimed, totally satisfied with the lie. I threw Charlie a grateful glance, and he winked at me. "Sooo," my son said, "which one can I open first?"

"Whichever one you want," Charlie grinned.

It turned out to be the biggest Christmas Emerson had ever had. He loved his bike, his new video games, the comic books, and the various other toys Charlie bought him. Every time he unwrapped a new toy, his face would grow even brighter. He kept giving me and Charlie hugs and kisses, which of course I was relishing.

Finally, I gave Charlie his gifts. He loved them, especially the bowl. He gave Emerson a big hug and promised him he would put the bowl on his desk at the police station. He did the same to me, saying the pictures could hang on the wall in his office so he could show us off.

Emerson shyly gave me a gift before scrambling into my lap. "You have a present for me?" I asked in surprise, kissing his cheek.

"Yeah," he said. "I didn't spend any money on it, though."

I kissed him again and unwrapped it. Inside was a picture frame with a finger-paint portrait. He had painted a picture of us with Emmy and Edward. It looked like Edward's hair was one giant flame, which made me smile. There was even a dinosaur-looking thing in the corner.

"Wow, baby," I said, squeezing him tight. "It's beautiful. Thank you!"

"You like it?" he asked hopefully.

"I love it," I corrected him, kissing his face. "I'll put this in the living room. You're one talented artist, like Peter Parker."

He grinned and blushed. "Mrs. Milstead gave us the frames."

"I love it," I said again. "Thank you, baby. I love you."

"Love you too, Mommy."

"And these are for my girl," Charlie announced, pushing some packages toward me.

"Dad-"

"Bella, hush and open them!"

I gave him a small grin and started to unwrap. He gave me a few things: a really nice leather-bound Jane Austen book collection with ribbon bookmarks; a hat, scarf, and glove set I suspected his girlfriend picked out; and a gift card.

"That's good for the entire mall in your neighborhood," he told me. "Any store you want. I want you to go buy some clothes. Not for Emerson, but for you. You need it."

My eyes grew hot with tears. "Thank you, Dad," I choked. He really didn't know what a blessing this was.

"Don't cry, now," he said as I hugged him. He awkwardly patted my back.

I smiled and kissed his cheek. "I love you, Dad."

"Love you too, Bells."

Emerson, thankfully, distracted us from the awkwardness. "Grandpa, play with me."

"It's raining, so we can't take the bike out," Charlie replied. "But we can play with other things."

I cleaned up the wrapping paper and made breakfast while they played together. For some reason, I missed Edward a lot today. We had barely spoken since I had been in Forks because we were both so busy. I also wished I could see his and Emmy's faces light up as I gave them gifts, but he and I had agreed on no gifts. It was just easier.

I texted him:  
_Merry Christmas, baby. Was Santa good to you?  
_  
He replied with:  
_No, because he didn't bring you back to Seattle.  
_  
I laughed and sent:  
_Three more days._

A minute later I received:  
_Can't wait, beautiful girl._

* * *

Charlie's girlfriend Sue came over later that day and basically spent the next three days with us. I didn't want to leave Charlie, but I was eager to get back to Edward in Seattle. So Emerson and I loaded up the car, kissed Sue and Charlie goodbye, and we were on our way.

When we arrived home, it wasn't raining, so I walked around my apartment complex with Emerson while he rode his bike. He was thoroughly preoccupied with his bike, so I pulled my phone out and called Edward.

To my surprise, it went straight to voicemail. "Hi, you've reached the voicemail box of Edward Cullen, reporter for Parenting Magazine. I can't take your call right now, but please leave your name, number, and if you're calling for an interview, who you represent. Thanks and I'll get back to you ASAP."

I smiled as I thought of him working hard on an article. "Hey, it's me," I said after the beep. "I'm back in Seattle and I miss you. Can we get together soon? I'm thinking fettucine alfredo. Call me back!"

"Is Edward and Emmy coming over?" Emerson asked me, riding his bike in circles around me.

"_Are Edward and Emmy_, not _is Edward and Emmy_," I corrected him. "And I'm not sure. He didn't answer my call."

"Why not?

"He's probably with his family," I replied doubtfully. It was strange he wasn't answering his phone. He usually sneaked away from his family to call me just to say hello. I hadn't heard from him since Christmas day.

Two days passed, and my calls always went to voicemail. My text messages were ignored. And I definitely didn't hear from his side of the line.

I couldn't figure out why he was suddenly ignoring me. The last time we had talked, he called me_ beautiful_, let me know he missed me, and he seemed to be overall happy. But now he would even respond to a text message.

I didn't have the faintest idea why he would be angry with me. We hadn't had a cross word between us. The night before New Year's Eve, I couldn't sleep at all. I just sat in the living room and stared at the picture Emerson had finger-painted of the four of us.

I missed Edward so much, and I was so hurt that he wasn't speaking to me. I just couldn't figure it out...

As I gazed at the stick figure in the pink dress and red curly-cue hair, I suddenly realized the problem.

Emmy didn't like the fact that I was dating her dad. And Edward was just as dedicated of a parent as I was, so he would get rid of anyone who made his child unhappy. Children always came first. That's what we had promised each other.

Tears streamed down my face. What Edward and I had seemed perfect. Little did I know...

I couldn't sleep that night. All I could think about was how my hopes for a lasting romance were dashed. Emerson wouldn't have a father, after all.

* * *

_What's wrong with Edward? Leave a review and take a guess._

_Two chapters left, maybe an epilogue.  
_


	18. Three Little Words

**This one is super long because you guys gave such great guesses, ha! I had some very plausible ones (Edward lost his phone), some that stretched it just a little (Edward was in an accident), some that stretched it a lot (Tanya came back), and some that were just plain ridiculous-yet-hilarious (Edward hit his head and is experiencing amnesia). But no one really guessed what happened! But guess what...you're about to find out! All 5,555 words of it!

* * *

Chapter Eighteen: "Three Little Words" Bella's POV**

I knew I was desperate, but the next morning I woke up before Emerson just to sit at the kitchen table, eat my rum-filled chocolates, and stare at the phone. "Come on, Edward Anthony Cullen," I muttered at my dormant phone. "That's right: I just used your full name. If you don't call me by noon, I'm marching over to your apartment. I deserve better than this."

_But you don't deserve better than him. You don't even deserve him._

I shook the thoughts off. My self-esteem was definitely taking a hit, that was true, but I couldn't let it get to me. I still had a son to take care of. I couldn't just don my fuzzy pajamas and watch the Lifetime channel with a box of Kleenex.

Even though that sounded like a _really _good plan.

Emerson woke up by nine, so I made him pancakes and bacon. He was content to play his Nintendo DSi all day, and for once, I was content to allow it. By ten, I had the kitchen cleaned up and a load of clothes making the rounds in the laundry.

I was _so_ bored. My phone hadn't sounded once.

Finally, as my clock moved to twelve PM, I decided I was going to keep my promise to myself and go to his apartment. But I didn't want to have a confrontation in front of Emerson, so I called Rosalie and asked her to keep him. She was thrilled to have company because Emmett was with his family in Tennessee and her parents' usual New Year's Eve soiree was cancelled because her mother had the flu. She gave me a funny look when I dropped him off, but I whispered to her that I would explain later. Even though she had probably already figured out that there was "trouble in paradise."

My mouth was dry as I drove to Edward's apartment. What was I supposed to do if we were over? The idea hurt more than I thought it would. I was wondering what I was getting myself into. I hadn't fallen for anyone like this before. I didn't even cry over Jacob Black—just over the fact that I was going to be a teenage mother. And now I was an adult, carrying around a box of tissues.

His silver Volvo was parked outside, so he wasn't busy with the family. I locked my car and marched to the door.

_What are you going to say? "I demand to know why you're ignoring me"? How very high school of you._

I sighed and shook it off before ringing his doorbell.

There was silence for a few seconds, and then I heard footsteps coming to the door. It unlocked, and then finally opened.

Alice stood there with wide eyes. "Oh, hi, Bella! Does Edward know you're here?"

I gave her a funny look. "I haven't heard from Edward in a really long time."

She raised a perfectly waxed eyebrow. "You don't know?"

"I don't know what?" I asked, totally confused.

She bit her lip. "Come in, it's freezing."

My stomach suddenly hurt. _Oh my god. He's been in an accident. Emmy was in an accident. She had a really bad asthma attack..._

As we walked to the kitchen, she suddenly stopped. "Oh, wait! Damn it! I was supposed to call you. You see, he hasn't been able to pay his phone bill...oh my god. It totally slipped my mind. Bella, I'm so sorry..."

I was so confused. "Where is he? What is going on?"

She winced. "Come here."

She took my hand and led me down the hall to his closed bedroom door. She knocked once before entering.

Edward was in bed, in his pajamas, pale and sweaty. His facial hair told me he hadn't been out of bed in days. I tried not to shiver as I saw that he was sick. _Very_ sick.

"Edward," Alice said happily. "I have a surprise!"

He winced before turning to us. "What, Ali?" he mumbled faintly before his eyes lit up. "Oh...hey, sweetie."

"I'll leave you two alone," she winked at me before leaving and closing the door behind her.

I immediately ran to his bedside and crouched down to take his hand. "Edward, what the heck is wrong with you?"

"Kidney stone," he mumbled, closing his eyes and cringing again. "I started having pains on Christmas night...went to the ER...I have yet to pass it."

"Oh my god," I said. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"AT&T cut off my phone," he said. "I couldn't pay the bill in time. I told Alice to call you..."

"She apparently forgot," I filled in. "I thought you were mad at me or something."

He opened those beautiful eyes and gave me the most incredulous expression. "How could I ever be mad at you, love?" He weakly put a hand to my hair.

_Love._ I had only heard him call Emmy that. It sent magical, delicious chills down my spine.

I smiled at him before kissing his hand. "Where does it hurt?"

"Right in the left kidney," he replied. "And my back...and other places you don't want to hear about."

I kissed his stubbly chin. "I'm sorry, baby. Can I make it better?"

He gave me an amused look. "I'll go ahead and warn you: I'm either in the bathroom or throwing up a lot, I'm usually on pretty powerful painkillers, and I'm so much fun that even Emmy  
begged my mom to take her to her house."

"Are you trying to scare me away?" I teased him.

He shook his head. "Definitely not. I just don't want you to have a boring New Year's Eve. Emmy and I actually planned a party for you and Emerson involving homemade Mexican cuisine  
and Junior Trivial Pursuit..."

"Is Emmy at your parents' for the night?" I asked him.

He nodded. "Yeah."

"Just a second," I told him, giving him a quick kiss and dashing out of the bed. I ran to the kitchen and dialed Rose's number.

"Is it over?" she asked immediately. Of course she had already guessed the entire situation.

"No, he has kidney stones," I explained. "He's really sick."

"Thank God!" she exclaimed. "Yes, I will keep Emerson for the night so you can play Clara Barton. I'll go to your apartment and pack him an overnight bag."

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" I exclaimed. "I love you, Rose. I'm going to make you a huge chocolate cheesecake."

She laughed. "I told you that it's fine. Have fun with your patient."

After I hung up, I went to Alice, who was in the living room watching a talk show. "Hey, Alice?"

"Yeah?"

I smiled at her. "Go enjoy New Year's with Jasper. I'm going to stay with Edward."

"Oh, Bella, you don't have-"

I shook my head. "Emerson is staying with his aunt. I don't have plans, and I would like a midnight kiss from your brother, if he's awake."

She gave me a grin and a wink. "Gotcha. Well, thank you. You don't know how much this means to me." She stood up and gave me a big hug. "If he starts acting like a prick-ish invalid, kick  
him in the kidney. Preferably the left one."

I laughed. "Okay, I will. Have fun."

I had a feeling she had been sitting with him for a while, because she gave my cheek a quick kiss and sprinted to the door.

_Finally, alone._

I went back to his bedroom, surprised to find that the bed was empty. He was probably in the bathroom. I kicked my shoes off and took my sweatshirt off to reveal my tank top underneath. It was quite warm in the apartment. I was grateful I had worn loose yoga pants instead of jeans. They felt like pajamas, so I could be comfortable if I just decided to lay with him.

I heard him make some kind of pained noise from the bathroom. I went and knocked on the door. "Honey, are you okay?"

"Yeah," he said quietly. "I'm just...give me a minute."

"Okay."

I went to the kitchen and rummaged through the cabinets. Luckily, he still had some peppermint tea left. Knowing that tea was a natural painkiller and peppermint calmed the stomach, I made him a cup. I returned to the bed and sat cross-legged with his tea as I waited for him to come back.

Finally, he did. He wore a white t-shirt and plaid flannel pajama pants. He looked pale and uncomfortable.

"Come here," I told him, helping him into the bed. He smiled as I gently pressed the teacup to his lips and tilted it, letting him have a taste.

"So good," he said after one long drink.

"Can I get you anything?" I asked him.

"Snuggle?" he asked softly.

"Of course. I am your nurse, after all." I put the tea on the bedside table and cuddled into his side, kissing his shoulder gently.

"I missed you," he said, kissing my forehead. "You and Emerson both. Did he have a good Christmas?"

My fingers went to his stomach and lightly rubbed it. "Yeah, it was great. I was able to buy him the bicycle of his dreams, and my dad spent way too much money on both of us. What about Emmy?"

A dreamy smile crossed his face, even though his eyes were closed. "I gave her one of those American Girl dolls that you can personalize to look like you. And I got her a matching dress set for her and the doll. And well, Emmy's grandpa spent way too much money on her, too. Bella, don't take this the wrong way, but I love the way you're touching me."

I was massaging his hips. "Well, I love your hips, so I'm enjoying it, too." I dropped a kiss on his neck.

He suddenly winced before sitting up. "Son of a nutcracker!"

"What did I do?" I asked him in panic.

"Not you," he gasped, wrapping his arms around his waist. "The goddamned kidney stone..."

I had never heard him curse before, so I knew he was in pain. I rubbed the back of his neck and kissed his shoulders.

Finally, he let out a little whimper and fell against the pillows.

"Where are your painkillers?" I asked him.

He shook his head. "No. They put me straight to sleep."

"Baby, you can take a nap. I'm going to spend the night with you and if you want to watch the ball drop, you need to sleep."

He flashed me a pained little smile. "Really? You're staying?"

I nodded. "Yep. Alice left, and Emerson is with Rose, so you can't kick me out. And if you..." I kissed his lips. "Take a nap now..." Another kiss. "I can make a big dinner..." Another peck. "And we can have a party later."

He rolled his eyes. "You sound like me when I would have to try to convince Emmy to take naps. And that's a good idea, but you can also stay here and kiss away the pain."

"Edward," I murmured against his lips. "You're in pain. You're gripping your sheets. Take some of your medication and I promise, there can be lots of kissing later."

He pouted his lip. "Yes, _Mother_..."

"Hey, I've been called a MILF before."

"Really?" he asked.

I snorted. "No."

"Can I call you a MILF?" His eyes were bright with playfulness.

"Only if you take your pain pills."

He rolled his eyes. "Oh, fine." He reached to the bedside table and a bottle out of the drawer. I gave him another drink of tea to wash the medicine down with, and settled into the bed with him. I could at least hold him until he fell asleep.

"Bella?" he mumbled a few minutes later, pupils dilated as he tried to fight sleep.

"Yeah, sweetie?"

"You're wearing a blue...shirt...thing."

I snorted. "Yeah, what about it?"

A goofy smile crossed his face, his eyes completely closed. "It's so sexy on you."

I laughed. "Honey, you're high."

"As a kite." He moved his face over and put a loud kiss on my cheek. "But Bella is sexy."

"Are you hurting?"

"I can't feel my...kidney...or feet...or...never mind."

I giggled. "Your feet hurt because of a kidney stone? That doesn't make much sense."

"No...I think I'm floating." He kissed me again.

"I think you need to go to sleep, Romeo," I said, pulling his blanket over his body.

"Cats don't live in castles, unicorns do," he whispered. "Gotta make that deadline..."

"Wait, what?"

He just smiled and let out a snore.

I giggled as I tucked him in, fluffing his pillow. I gave his lips a sweet kiss before I went to the kitchen.

He had obviously grocery shopped before he got sick because there was a lot to work with. I decided on light food he could enjoy without it being too tough on his stomach. He had the ingredients for my homemade chicken noodle soup. I hummed lightly as I prepared the soup and marveled at my good fortune. _Thank god we're not over,_ I kept chanting to myself.

As the soup simmered on the stove, I tried to think of fun things I could do with him to stay festive for New Year's. If this stone kicked in on Christmas, that meant he had been in bed for six days. I knew from experience with Charlie that kidney stones just don't allow their victims to walk around and have fun. So I had to think of a comfortable way.

I went to the living room. His couch was too small for us both to rest on. I decided that if we were going to watch the ball drop, I would have to move his mattress to the living room floor. That was simple enough. I could do it when he went on another bathroom run.

He slept for a good three hours as I tried to throw a little private party. I cooked some of his favorite light foods and found his board games, just in case he felt like playing. Finally, I could prepare no more. I sat down on his couch to wait, and my eyes landed on a stack of _Parenting Magazine_ issues.

I had never looked at it before, but now I was eager. I grabbed it and flipped through, looking for a familiar byline. Finally, my eyes spied the words _by Edward Cullen, reporter and columnist._

The name of the column was _Single Daddy-ing, _but this particular headline was _Daddy, Why Don't Boys Wear Cerulean Dresses?_

This issue was about a year old. Edward cleverly detailed a column in which a four-year-old Emmy was going to day care and kept asking him gender-related questions. They weren't rude or obscene questions, but she was clearly confused about the dynamics of gender. One passage made me giggle:

_Things were only complicated further when I left the toilet seat up a few days ago. Since Emmy is my only woman at home, I don't have anyone to yell at me about my slobbish male tendencies. But Emmy couldn't figure out why in the world I would want to sit on the "cold, hard part of the potty." After I tried to explain that boys stand up when they have to pee-pee, she insisted that she wanted to try. Of course, that was an even more difficult conversation. I started worrying that maybe she really was confused where gender is concerned. I began entertaining fantasies of putting a personal ad in the paper: "Female influence wanted for a four-year-old girl. Preferably with a degree in health education so you can answer more, shall we say, uncomfortable questions."_

_But I was given a little peace of mind last night. I haven't been able to sleep in my boxers like a real man should because Emmy is afraid of thunderstorms at nighttime, and even her stuffed dinosaur Denny can' t scare away those nightmares. Of course in a rainy place like Seattle, I have to do Daddy Bad Dream Duty quite frequently. She's used to cuddling up with me as I wear flannel sleep pants and a t-shirt. On the one night I decided to forgo the t-shirt, she started freaking out._

"_But Daddy," she said, a worried whine in her voice. "Your blue t-shirt goes so nicely with the cerulean in your pajama pants."_

_Looks like I have a little girl after all._

_Now all I have to do is figure out what "cerulean" means._

There were other adorable columns, like _Letting Her Fly:_

_She has been going to day care for two years now, but for some reason, it was so much harder to see her slide her little dinosaur backpack on and grab her matching lunchbox. I had made her a special breakfast of heart-shaped pancakes, and when I turned from the stove and saw her, my heart froze. Suddenly, she wasn't my little girl anymore. Her pink dress made her look so much older, and for some reason, the pink bow didn't look as childish. She smiled at me, her front tooth wiggling loose as it begged to be pulled. "Do I look pretty, Daddy?"_

_Tears filled my eyes. "You look beautiful, sweetheart," I assured her. "But are you sure you want to go?"_

_Her green eyes glared at me. "Daddy, be serious."_

"_I'm just saying. You're small and you already know how to read and write so it's kind of pointless to subject you to this, and—"_

"_Daddy," she said again. "I'm a big girl. Can I have some pancakes?"_

_I sighed and nodded. "Yeah. Just…be good today." I poured her syrup on her pancakes. "And don't talk to boys."_

_She rolled her eyes._

_It took everything I had to focus on the road as I drove her to school. I parked the car and tried to take her hand in the parking lot, but she jerked it away and glared at me. "Daddy, I'm not a baby."_

"_I know, my love," I mumbled._

_She ran ahead of me and entered the classroom before I could. I looked around and saw lots of mothers hugging their children goodbye. Of course, it didn't take me long to notice that I was the only father. I guided Emmy to the teacher's desk and introduced them._

"_Where is Emmy's mother?" the teacher asked me kindly._

"_It's just me," I said a bit sadly, staring down at my daughter as she gaped at a picture of a dinosaur on the wall._

"_And how are we holding up, Mr. Cullen?"_

_I'm sure my face told her everything, because she winked at me. "I take it she's a daddy's girl?"_

"_Every fiber of her being," I admitted._

_Emmy tugged on my hand that I had unconsciously given her. "Daddy, it's time for you to leave."_

_I crouched down by her. "You're sure about this."_

"_I'm sure," she whispered before hugging me. "You have to be a big boy about this."_

_And with that little piece of encouragement, I knew she was right. So many times in parenting, the kids are ready to fly, yet the parents keep trying to clip their wings. I know that kindergarten is a small step. Soon, she'll lose her first tooth. She'll eventually have to go to middle school. And then high school—though I certainly don't want to think about that zoo of uncontained male teenagers. And that pink dress she wore on her first day of school, as beautiful as it was, won't be as stunning as her prom dress, her graduation gown, or even her wedding dress._

_It's all coming fast. Kindergarten hurt me as an adult more than it ever hurt any child. But at least I still have a year of it until I have to face another big step: first grade. And besides, I would rather let her come home with finger-paint portraits and macaroni necklaces than some boy I'll have to put the fear of god in._

I didn't realize I was choking up until one of my tears fell on the page. He was _such_ a good writer. I was going to have to spare some money and buy a subscription to this magazine.

I grabbed the most recent issue. This column was called _Dinosaur Eggs_.

_What makes a person click with another? Is it similar likes, dislikes, opinions, and strange quirks? Or do opposites always attract? This question haunts me every night after I put my little girl to bed and then go and lie down in my empty full-sized bed. I have no one to warm my sheets, no one to kiss me good night after Emmy falls asleep. It's just me. And as I dream of a future wife and mother for my princess, I turn this question over and over in my mind. What causes attraction?_

_The most stunning example of true love in my life is that of my parents. My father is an intellect who spends his time reading textbooks on biochemistry and carbon dating. My mother is an artist who prefers to pick out curtains or ride horses. Dad prefers the concrete facts, Mom loves the abstract dreams. They are as different as night and day, a true testament of "opposites attracting." The mother of my daughter, completely absent from our lives, was my exact opposite._

_ Yet now I'm questioning that. I've met a beautiful woman, and we're compatible in every way. We both have five-year-old children at the same elementary school. We both appreciate fabric softener in an almost religious way. We like the same foods, movies, music. We think that Santa Claus is a spawn of the devil. We share kid-friendly "curse words." (Trust me, there is nothing cuter than a gorgeous brunette shouting "Fiddlesticks!") And we have both had our hearts broken and then healed by unexpected children._

_ Sounds perfect, right?_

_ We've been setting up "play dates" for our children and sneaking kisses when they're not looking. Finally, I'm not a single man anymore. But am I still a single daddy? It is unbelievably frustrating to figure out how to love both women in my life: how to cater to my responsibilities with Emmy while still having fun with Bella. How to be the old soul that my daughter needs and a typical twenty-two-year-old boyfriend. How to make them both happy and be with both of them at all times, like I so frequently desire to do._

_ I'm fortunate though, that my first girlfriend since I've had Emmy loves my daughter. And Emmy loves Bella and her son. That's taken care of, so I must figure out how to take care of myself in all of this. How can I keep from being hurt by a woman again? How can I afford to take her out on dates while my daughter needs to go to the dentist? How can I balance my need for physical affection with my need for a one-child household? I've been single-daddying for five years now, but it's still sometimes a slippery slope._

_ Luckily, Bella is the single mother that every single father dreams of. She is completely dedicated to her child, and I know she debates the same questions in her mind. So far we're taking it slow, but eventually we're going to have to jump together into the unknown. I already feel love for her and I'm already dreaming of seeing her in white. But where do Emmy and Emerson (Bella's son) fit into all of this? Can they finally have a complete family if their two parents decide to stay together?_

_ The unknown is what is scariest. I don't know why some people seem to click and why others (like me and Emmy's mother) are like oil and water. I don't know how my parents, who disagree on nearly everything, love each other passionately. I don't know how to put my new romance in balance with the rest of my life._

_ But sometimes, the unknown is the most beautiful. Like Emmy has told me many times about dinosaur eggs, "When the baby dinosaur cracks out of the egg, the first thing he sees becomes his favorite thing." I don't know if this is true for dinosaurs—how do scientists know that, if we've never seen a live dinosaur?—but I think it's true for me. Because just about a month ago, I cracked out of my shell and dared to look out in the world. And I first saw Bella and Emerson. And except for Emmy, they are quickly becoming my favorite people on Earth._

I sniffled as I finished the article, tears streaming down my cheeks. I had no idea what he wrote about, much less that he wrote about me. I put the magazine away and could only think of one sentence: "_I already feel love for her_."

Did I love Edward?

I was suddenly distracted by footsteps. I jumped up, wiped my face, and ran to the bedroom. Edward was getting out of his bed.

"What can I do for you?" I asked him.

"Back to the bathroom," he groaned, wrapping an arm around me and smelling my hair. "I'm trying so hard to pass the stone."

"I made you dinner," I said. "In case you're hungry."

"Maybe. The painkillers are still working and I'm feeling so much better, so maybe."

"Good, sweetie," I said, kissing his chin.

He smiled, gave me a real kiss, and went to the bathroom.

I was quick and effective in moving his mattress and bedding to the living room. I put it in front of the couch so he could prop his pillows against it. After I made the bed, I brought a TV tray with some snacks, a bowl of soup, and a hot cup of peppermint tea.

I waited for him outside the bathroom. He was in there for a long time, but finally he cursed, flushed the toilet, and came out. I took his cold hands and pulled him toward the living room.

"I'm sorry, love, but I need to lay down," he said.

"I know. We're laying down in the living room," I replied.

He gave me a funny look and then saw the mattress on the floor. He smiled and kissed my cheek. "You're a genius."

"Hey, you have to watch the ball drop," I replied. "Now let me help you to bed…"

"I'm not an invalid…"

I pouted my lip at him. "Please let me take care of you? I love to."

He sighed, rolled his eyes, and sat on the bed. I tucked him in and fluffed his propped-up pillows before handing him his tea.

"No, you have to lay down with me," he said as I tried to go to the kitchen.

"You're not hungry?"

"Not yet."

I smiled and laid down next to him. He put an arm around me and offered me a sip of the tea. We shared the cup, just laying down, cuddling, and touching. I stroked his impressive stubble and left little kisses on his neck while his fingers traced my stomach.

"I missed you, sweet girl," he said, burying his face in my hair. "I don't know how much I can tell you that before you realize how true it is. I don't feel complete when you aren't with me."

I remembered his article and smiled. "I feel the same way. I wish Alice had remembered to call me, so I could have helped you more."

"Just focus on tonight," he mumbled. "I'm currently pain-free and I have you here in my bed…no kids to bother us…"

I snorted. "Are you still high?"

He gave me a funny look. "What?"

"Nothing," I said, shaking my head and tilting his hand forward so I could have another drink of tea. "Tell me about cats and unicorns."

"What? Oh, hell, did I start talking after I took the pain pill?"

"You did," I admitted, lightly kissing his chin. "And you need to clean up your potty-mouth, sir."

"Sorry," he muttered. "What did I say?"

"Nothing of consequence," I promised him. "So how much did you miss me?"

He gave me a meaningful look. "Would you like me to show you?"

"Only if you feel like it."

He smiled and slowly rolled over so he was straddling my waist. I put my hands on his back as he positioned himself on his knees so he was lightly hovering over my body. I could see that this position took the pressure off his kidneys. Plus, it was really nice for me. His mouth met mine as his hands tangled in my hair. Our lips were a bit desperate for each other—we moved quickly and a bit roughly. I felt his teeth latch around my lower lip before I felt his tongue swipe the pain away. It was a delicious kiss, better than strawberries with sugar. My hands slipped into the back of his collar as he kissed me, feeling the top of his smooth back so I couldn't hurt him in any way.

I was even more comfortable after I had read his revealing article; my tongue was only focused on seeking depth and fullness with his own tongue. His left hand slid down my hair to my collarbone and then very lightly danced down the front of my shirt. I wasn't bothered by the way he very subtly groped my breast; in fact, I wanted more.

Finally, he pulled back in a cringe. I pulled him down so he was lying on top of me. The weight didn't bother me; I just wanted him close and comfortable. He scooted down so he could rest his head on the fuller part of my chest. I lovingly ran my hand through his hair and finally brought his hand to my mouth.

He sighed happily as I kissed and sucked his fingers. I thought he was going to sleep until he breathed a sigh of relief and looked up at me.

"Thank you," he whispered, starting to roll away.

"Don't move if you're comfortable," I told him. "I'm perfectly fine with this position."

He smiled, moved further down and angled his body so most of his weight was off of me, yet he could still enjoy the soft pillow I provided him. I rubbed his neck muscles as he simply relaxed.

"They'll probably have concerts or movie marathons on TV," he remarked.

"Good idea," I agreed, grabbing the remote I had conveniently left by the mattress. We flipped through the sitcom marathons until finally finding a Paul McCartney concert.

"It's a pity he and Ringo are the only ones left," Edward sighed.

"Yeah, John is my favorite," I admitted. "Paul is a jerk but he's a great singer and songwriter."

"Did you just call one of the four most brilliant musicians in the history of the world a jerk?" he asked me in shock.

"Yeah. The way he hated John and Yoko…"

Edward laughed. "Shh, he's singing."

I didn't recognize the song like Edward did. Honestly, it was one of those infamous Beatles-style songs that didn't make any sense. But he finally started playing a song from his Beatles years that I knew very well.

Edward changed positions so he was laying on his back next to me, and pulled me to his chest. His lips found my ear as he quietly sang.

_"I give her all my love, that's all I do. And if you saw my love, you'd love her too. I love her…she gives me everything, and tenderly, the kiss my lover brings, she brings to me. And I love her…" _

"You have a beautiful voice," I told him as he kissed my cheek. _Just add that to your list of talents: parenting, charming the pants off of me, photography, kissing, singing, and apparently, writing columns._

"And you have a beautiful face, so we even out," he quipped, kissing the spot under my jaw.

As he sang in my ear along with Paul, I reflected on the column I had just read and the lyrics I was hearing now. _"I already feel love for her," _Edward had written._  
_

I wanted to hear him say it to me. Those three little words that meant everything. He was dancing around it right now…I wanted to hear the concrete words to let me know how he really felt.

It was only six PM by the time his painkillers wore off, so I made him eat a little soup and take another dose. He fell asleep again with the promise of a kiss at midnight, and I was content to just lie next to him. I was so relieved that everything was okay—and so happy in his arms—that I fell asleep with my head on his chest.

* * *

"Bella," Edward sang in my ear. "Sweetie, wake up."

I opened my eyes and saw that I was practically on top of him. I quickly jumped off, bouncing the bed and making him cringe.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry," I said.

"You can kiss it better," he winked, and I giggled.

"What if I get you some dinner?" I suggested instead. "I'm starving. What time is it?"

"Ten PM," he replied. "You slept for a while."

"Oh, well at least we didn't miss midnight. I'll be right back."

I went to the kitchen and heated the soup up again. I arranged a tray for him that could sit right on his lap with a cup of herbal tea, a bowl of warm soup, and toast. After I put a glass of water on the tray, I carefully carried it to him.

"You have to eat every bite," I warned him.

"Says who?" he asked cheekily, eying the soup.

"Says the chef," I replied. "It's low-sodium, by the way. For your kidneys."

"You're wonderful," he grinned. "I probably will eat every bite, if you come eat with me."

"Of course." I helped him position the tray and ran to the kitchen to fetch my own. I settled on the mattress next to him, making myself comfortable.

He held up his cup of herbal tea. "May I make a toast?"

"Of course," I grinned like a fool. I loved cheesy stuff like this.

He linked our arms together. "To a very interesting night together. I hope we have many more. Also, a toast to painkillers, chicken soup, and to a new year that will hopefully be filled with you."

I blushed as we clinked our cups together and took our sips. After we put the cups down, he gave me a quick kiss. "You're amazing. How many times do I have to tell you that?"

I scoffed as I turned the volume of the TV down. "And why I am so amazing?"

He took a bite of soup and practically purred in satisfaction. "Hmm, well, you made this amazing soup. You're beautiful, intelligent, talented, a fantastic mother...haven't we been through this already?"

"I think we have," I said dryly, taking his spoon from him. He wasn't eating enough. I started to feed him. He ate slowly but he seemed to enjoy it. My dinner was forgotten as I served as his bed-nurse, loving the feeling of having a man besides Emerson and Charlie to take care of. Dinner took forever, but I even managed to convince him to have a second bowl of soup.

"Pay me some new compliments," I said after we finished eating. We weren't far from midnight, but I wasn't interested in the television.

"Well, let's see," he began. "You're a really great snuggler. I swear your body heat felt amazing against my kidneys, as awkward as that sounds. You're a really fabulous kisser...but I think you already know that."

"Oh, am I?" I snorted. "I don't know, I've never kissed me."

"No, that's my job," he replied, stealing a kiss. "Absolute heaven. What else? I can see the love dancing in your eyes when you see your son...which is very, very attractive to me. You put pure love in the food you prepare, which as you know, is the way to a man's heart. And you smell good...like strawberries and freesia, or something."

I laughed. "Okay, I'm actually impressed. I use strawberry shampoo and freesia body wash."

"I knew it," he replied seriously. "Okay, your turn."

I knew exactly what my compliments were going to be.

"You're an amazing photographer, an amazing singer, and according to your mom, you're an amazing pianist," I began.

He closed his eyes, a blush spreading across his skin. "She told you that?"

"Yeah," I smirked. "She called you 'the next Elton John'."

He sighed. "Great."

"Except I was sure to tell her you definitely aren't gay," I added, making him laugh. "Hmm, what else? I've seen you dance with Emmy, and you're great at that. You're the most loving father I have ever seen. I wish I was as close with my dad as Emmy is with you. And what else? Oh yeah, you're an amazing columnist."

He sort of froze. "How many have you read?" he asked me.

"All of the issues you have in your living room," I said nonchalantly.

I had never seen him blush so much. "Even the December issue?"

"Yeah, I actually loved that one," I admitted.

"You're not mad I didn't ask for permission to use your names?" he mumbled.

"Definitely not," I replied. "Why would I be?"

He pursed his lips together. "Hmm...well actually, by the laws of Associated Press style and general ethics, I'm supposed to ask to use an individual's name in such a personal way. But I didn't want to ask you because I wasn't sure if I wanted you to read it."

"Why not?" I asked, a little confused.

He sighed. "Because...I used a pretty big word in that column."

_The L-word. _I nodded understandingly. "Yes, I know, you did. And I...well, I _loved_ it."

He pulled me closer against his chest-obviously his painkillers were still in effect. Winding his arms around my waist, he whispered in my ear, "That word doesn't scare you?"

I paused before I shook my head. "No, I don't think it does. I could identify with everything in that column. Does it scare you?"

He bit his lip nervously. "I don't think so."

"Does it scare Emmy?"

He smiled and kissed my nose. "Definitely not."

"And it doesn't scare Emerson, so...you and I...we're...um..."

I blushed as I tried to describe this happy little love-cloud that he and I were currently in.

"I love you, Bella Swan," he interrupted me, relieving me of the words. "I know it's only been like six or seven weeks, and I know I've been beating around the bush...but aside from my daughter, I love you more than anyone I've ever met. I love you and your son. And...I really am dreaming of seeing you in white."

My throat felt thick as I heard his admission. "Not white...not right now..." was all I could say.

"Of course not right now," he replied, kissing my earlobe. "I want to take it slow...but I can't pretend that I only like you anymore. I want to be able to tell you that I love you whenever you kiss me good night, and whenever we end our phone calls, and I want you to say it, too. But I'm not going to rush you. I understand that there are a lot of logistics to work through with that word, and that-"

"Edward, shh," I replied, interrupting him with a kiss. "I love you, too. I've suspected it, but I've been positive since I've read that column. I love you so much, and I love Emmy, too. And...I want to be that female influence you wrote about. Sorry if I don't have a health degree."

He laughed and pressed his lips to mine. "I love you," he would whisper between kisses. "So much."

I returned the sentiment between lips and tongues.

I don't know how long we kissed, but faintly, I heard Times Square celebrating as the stroke of midnight announced a new year.

Not only a new year, but a new life.

A new love.

* * *

_I've never had kidney stones, but I saw my sister as she tried to pass a few. They're miserable (instead of laying on her sweetie like Edward did, she sat upside down to relieve pressure on her kidneys), but the painkillers can make them fun. We were always getting her to spill her guts when she was high. Unfortunately, when I broke my nose, she got her revenge. The "cats, castles, and unicorns" comment was made by me when I was quite high._

_The columns that "Edward" wrote were indeed written by me. I was on the school newspaper for two years, and I loved to write columns-mostly political. I eventually quit the newspaper because there was no room for creativity (I hated Associated Press style along with the editor-in-chief and the journalism teacher) and decided to focus on other things instead. I actually started writing for the local newspaper because it was more creative than the high school paper-how ironic is that? No pay, but there is nothing more satisfying than being sixteen and seeing your name along with "contributing reporter" in your town's newspaper. But back to fan fiction, it was fun to once again put myself in a journalist mind-frame and write columns about Emmy. I hope you guys liked them and I hoped they sounded convincing._

_And the two songs by Sir McCartney were "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey" (the one that made no sense) and "And I Love Her." The last one was actually a Beatles song, but since Paul wrote it, he gets to claim it as his. As always, I prefer the Beatles version to the solo version because face it, the song arrangements suck without John Lennon's influence._

_To answer a reader question: there will be one more post, and it will be an epilogue. And then this story is complete!_

_The epilogue will be posted tonight, but leave a review for this chapter anyway, por favor.  
_


	19. Epilogue

**So this is the last chapter! Thanks for reading this little story and being faithful to it. I hope it ends exactly the way you wanted it to!**

**

* * *

Epilogue: Edward's POV  
**

I fiddled nervously with my tie in the mirror. I heard a small chuckle from my dad as he stepped behind me and clapped a hand to my shoulder.

"Don't worry, Edward," Dad said to me. "You have no reason to be nervous."

"Stage fright," I muttered.

He took my hands and helped me by buttoning my sleeves up. "You don't have to be nervous. She's a great girl. You've found the right one this time. She's no Tanya."

I opened my mouth to agree wholeheartedly, but I was interrupted by my son. "Dad!" Emerson said loudly as he ran out of the bathroom. "I can't tie my tie!"

I laughed and crouched down to his level. "It's no problem, buddy. Here, I can do it for you."

He wiggled as I unknotted his frail little attempts and tied his tiny tie.

"Why are you jumping up and down?" I teased him, brushing some fuzz off his black jacket.

"I have a big role," he mumbled. "I'm nervous."

"Me, too," I sighed. "But we're going to do just fine. Do you have the ring box?"

He pulled it out of his pocket. "Right here."

"Good job, son. Put it back in your pocket." I finished tying his tie and kissed his cheek. "Okay, you are officially the most handsome guy in this building."

Emerson laughed and went to my father, who was tying his own tie. "Grandpa Carlisle, am I more handsome than you?"

"I'm afraid so," my father said. "You don't have a funny accent, either."

Emerson giggled and started to pace the carpet. Once Bella and I had gotten engaged, he had immediately taken to calling me "Dad" and my parents his grandparents. Alice and Jasper were his aunt and uncle, too. Emmy had been just as good about it. She was so proud to call Bella her "Mommy" and she absolutely loved her Grandpa Charlie, Aunt Rosalie, and Uncle Emmett.

"Knock, knock," a male voice said. I turned around to see my almost-father-in-law. His eyes were red from tears, but he came to give me a good handshake.

"I'm proud of you, son," he said, humor deep in his voice. "You've found a good girl."

"I think so, too," I smiled at him. "Thank you again, Charlie."

Asking Charlie for his permission to marry his daughter had been one of the scariest moments in my life, even though I knew he liked me. I knew that even after a year of dating, I didn't deserve Bella, and Charlie had been quick to remind me of that—but he also added that he didn't think he could find a better man for his little girl, which of course put me on cloud nine.

"It's my pleasure, my boy," Charlie replied. "I gave you my most precious gifts—my Bells and my Emerson. Just take care of them, okay?"

"I always will," I promised him.

Jasper suddenly tore into the room. "I just saw her!" he announced.

I turned to him. "What does she look like? Is she gorgeous? What about the dress?"

He snorted. "The dress is…white, man. What do you expect me to say? But yeah, she looks beautiful. And Alice looks…whoo!"

Dad glared at him. "That's my daughter you're talking about. Both of them."

I let out a long breath. I was about to marry the most perfect woman in the world. If my sister's dumb boyfriend could confidently say she was beautiful, then she must have been stunning.

"My mom always looks pretty," Emerson reminded us. "Dad, can I go see her?"

"I'll take you," Charlie told him.

"Emerson, we have to be in position in ten minutes," I reminded him.

"I will, Dad!"

"Eddie, Alice has everything under control," Jazz reminded me. "Take some deep breaths."

"I'm trying," I muttered.

"You're not having second thoughts, are you?" he asked me.

"Oh, no, definitely not!" I exclaimed. "I'm just going to flub my lines or something."

"Nobody will be able to hear you," Dad reminded me. "Listen, lad—well, I guess I can't call you that anymore. Anyway, when I was going to marry your mom, I was so nervous. I knew I didn't deserve her. But guess what—I did it anyway!"

I stared at him. "Is that supposed to enlighten me on some great manly secret?"

He gave a laugh. "Definitely not. I don't have any advice. Except that you love her, you got her, and after today, you'll never have to give her away. That should give you enough strength to stop sweating and kiss that bride."

I sighed. "I know you're right. I just…"

"You'll feel better when you see her," Jasper promised me. "Come on. When was the first time you kissed her? Were you nervous?"

"A little," I admitted, remembering the way I had asked her permission before I actually did it.

"And the first time you told her you loved her?" Dad prodded.

I smiled at the sudden memory. "New Year's Eve. When I had kidney stones…and she was taking care of me."

"Oh, yeah," Jasper remembered. "And you looked like hell. And you look pretty sharp now, so you should have more confidence than you did that night."

I chuckled at him. "Okay, I think we need to get out there."

We walked out the door. To my surprise, Emmy was standing there at the door.

"Hello, my love," I said, bending to kiss her. "You look so beautiful."

She beamed in her blue dress, clutching her white flower girl basket possessively. "You look handsome too, Daddy. I'm supposed to keep you away from Aunt Alice's room," she informed me. "Mommy said that you wouldn't dare disobey me."

I laughed. "Your mommy is right. So I guess I have to go to the backyard and stand at the altar?"

"Yep! And Grandpa, and Uncle Jasper, too." She looked up at her uncle. "Uncle Jazzy, you look _very_ handsome."

"And you look very gorgeous," he said bending down and kissing her cheek. "You're going to do great, munchkin."

"I know," she shrugged, unimpressed.

"Emmy, where is Emerson?" I asked her.

"In Mommy's room."

"Okay," I said. "You can tell Mommy that I'm on my way to the altar."

"Okay!" She took off running down the hallway of my parents' house.

I walked down the stairs with my best man (my dad) and my groomsman (Jasper). As we passed the kitchen, my mom ran out in a stunning dress.

"Oh, you look so handsome," she gushed, tears streaming down her face. "I won't kiss you because of my lipstick…thank god I wore waterproof mascara."

"Thanks, Mom," I said, kissing her cheek. "Is everything set up outside?"

She nodded. "The guests are here. You just have to go to the altar, and I'll take care of everything else."

"Alright, I'm on my way," I muttered.

We didn't invite many people to the wedding—just family, close friends, and a few coworkers who would be offended if we didn't invite them. We had also invited Bella's mother Renee, but we had not received an reply or an RSVP I went outside and took a look at the setup as I stood on the altar. I didn't see any unfamiliar brunette women. My heart immediately sank for Bella.

At least Mom and Alice had definitely gone all out with flowers and everything.

I shuffled my feet as I waited for the music to start. Finally, piano music started to play. I recognized the song instantly—the lullaby I had written for Emmy. Bella had told me that I had zero control over the music during the ceremony, that she wanted it to be a surprise.

Jasper, Dad, and I straightened up as Mom walked down the aisle. She really was a vision, reddish-caramel hair straight and styled in a perfect up-do. She took her seat in the front.

After Mom was the maid-of-honor, Rosalie. Of course the beauty looked perfect in her blue dress. Following Rosalie was Alice, who looked radiant. I noticed Jasper inhaling sharply as he saw his future bride, and I was so glad that things were working out for them.

Emmy and Emerson were next. They were so adorable, with Emerson in his black suit and blue tie, and Emmy in her beautiful blue dress. They walked arm-in-arm as Emmy awkwardly tossed blue flower petals on the white aisle. I heard our guests laugh as Emmy stumbled, and Emerson helped her up. I was so relieved that they were over their crushes on each other. Now they could just be brother and sister—and best friends. Emerson came and stood behind Jasper, and Emmy took her spot behind Alice.

Finally, Emmy's lullaby turned into the lullaby I had composed for Bella. I held my head high as I waited for my bride to round the corner.

And when she did, I couldn't breathe.

She was beautiful from head-to-toe, her chocolate curls cascading down her back. Her gown was a spotless white, flattering her tiny figure. It was strapless, showing her delicate collarbones, and gracefully fell to the floor. She was on Charlie's elbow, and they were laughing together.

And then she noticed me, and she became the blushing bride I had so been looking forward to.

Our eyes locked as she walked down the aisle—graceful, for once. She smiled dazzlingly at me, her white teeth matching the pearls I had given her for Christmas. Finally, she made it to the altar.

Charlie, tears falling down his face, kissed her cheek, took her hand, and placed it in mine.

She was home.

I helped her up on the proper step, and we held hands and stared at each other. The minister began the speech that Bella and I had come up with.

"We are gathered here today to celebrate not only a union between a man and a woman, but a blending of two families. Today not only celebrates the love of husband and wife, but of parent and child, and brother and sister."

I barely noticed that Emmy was bouncing excitedly. Alice placed a hand on her hair to remind her to calm down.

"The love of a family starts with the love of a man and a woman," the minister continued. He smiled at us. "_Now join your hands, and with your hands, your hearts._"

Bella and I giggled at the Shakespeare quote as we squeezed each other's hands. Since our first conversation was about our favorite writers, we only found it appropriate to weave Shakespeare throughout our vows.

Bella cleared her throat as she began. "_In thy face I see honor, truth and loyalty. Love is not love/Which alters when it alteration finds/Or Bends with the remover to remove/O, no! It is an ever-fixed mark/That looks on tempests and is never shaken/It is the star to every wandering bark, whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken. A woman would run through fire and water for such a kind heart."_

I saw a tear sneak down her cheek, and I lightly kissed her hand as the minister turned to me.

I had been scared about forgetting my lines, but they came naturally to me. "_In thy face I see honor, truth and loyalty,"_ I repeated before moving into my own speech. _"My bounty is as deep as the sea/My love as deep; the more I give to thee/The more I have, for both are infinite. One half of me is yours, the other half yours/Mine own, I would say; but if mine, then yours/And so all yours! Doubt thou the stars are fire/Doubt the sun doth move/Doubt truth to be a liar/but never doubt thy love."_

She suddenly smiled brightly, and I realized that I was crying, too.

"If we can have the rings," the minister said kindly, and our children walked to our sides. Emmy pulled out her ring box and handed my silver wedding band to Bella.

The minister began with the vows. "Do you, Isabella Marie Swan, take this man to be your lawfully-wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness or in health, to love and to cherish 'till death do you part, and finally, to be the mother of his children?"

"I do," Bella grinned, winking at me as she slid my band onto the fourth finger of my left hand.

Emerson stepped up and handed me Bella's delicate silver ring.

"And do you, Edward Anthony Cullen, take this woman to be your lawfully-wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness or in health, to love and to cherish 'till death do you part, and finally, to be the father of her children?"

"I do," I said loudly and clearly, placing her ring on the appropriate finger.

"We now make vows to the children," the minister continued, and Bella crouched down to face Emmy and Emerson.

I noticed the minister smiled at this rather unconventional part of our ceremony. "Do you, Isabella Marie, promise to be the best mother you can be for Emerson and Emmy, a constant symbol of love, concern, and nurturing, in good times and bad, in sickness and in health, whatever life may bring, so long as you all shall live?"

Bella kissed Emerson's cheek, and then kissed Emmy's cheek. "I do," she said, and both of my children beamed at her.

Now it was my turn. Bella stood up, and I squatted down and took both of my children's hands.

"Do you, Edward Anthony Cullen, promise to be the best father you can be for Emerson and Emmy, a constant symbol of love, concern, and protection, in good times and bad, in sickness and in health, whatever life may bring, so long as you all shall live?"

"I do," I vowed before kissing my little girl and my little boy.

I stood back up to face Bella.

"I now pronounce you man and wife, father and mother. You may now kiss the bride," he said, and I could wait no longer.

Bella threw her arms around my neck and I picked her up as we kissed sweetly, our lips exuberant with each other. I felt every ounce of love we possessed in that kiss, and I could feel that love radiating through the four people we represented on this altar.

My dad cleared his throat next to me, and I knew that we had kissed for entirely too long. I broke the kiss and set her on her feet. She laughed as we grinned at each other.

"I now present Mr. and Mrs. Edward Cullen," the minister announced, and my mom and Emmett let out a rather loud cheer as Bella and I turned to face our guests. "I also present the Cullen family: Edward, Bella, Emerson, and Emmy."

Everyone stood up to clap, as was the custom. Emerson let out a happy laugh at the sound of his new name. It hadn't taken long at all to adopt him as my own as his biological father had absolutely zero parental rights. So finally, my little family was complete.

We all walked down the aisle together, Emerson and Emmy slapping high fives with our guests. We still had a reception at the stables to attend, but we wanted to have a moment with our little family—along with wedding pictures.

"It's official!" Emmy said happily, reaching up to hug Bella.

Bella picked up our daughter and kissed her cheek, leaving a lipstick smudge. I could only imagine the lipstick on my mouth after that kiss. "It is official. You're my little girl."

"And you're my little man," I said to Emerson, picking him up in a big hug.

"I already knew that," he replied. "Mommy, are you happy?"

Bella let me wrap an arm around me and Emmy and leaned her head against my chest. "I'm happier than I've ever been," she admitted, staring into my eyes.

I simply ducked my head and kissed those delectable lips.

Of course, we weren't only a young married couple. I was reminded of our parenting responsibility as our kids tried to wiggle to their feet. "Ew!" they shouted. "Cooties!"

Bella and I laughed and put them down. They ran back down to the scene of the wedding together.

"I love you," I whispered into Bella's ear, kissing it.

"I love you more," she replied.

I rolled my eyes. "Impossible."

She giggled. "By the way…I have a _very_ handsome husband."

I laughed again. "And I have a _very _beautiful wife. I almost had a heart attack when I first saw you."

She kissed me again, more seriously this time.

Finally, Emmy had a mommy.

And I had another love to call my own.

* * *

_I thought it ended pretty nicely myself._

_The quotes in italics were random quotes taken from various Shakespeare plays. It was probably extremely cheesy, but I thought it was appropriate for our literature nerds._

_Bella's wedding dress is on my profile. I didn't describe it vividly because, as much as Edward knows about hairbows and fabric softener, he probably doesn't understand the words "A-line cut," "scalloped lace," or "ruched." But I chose it because it's beautiful and it's inexpensive, which I think is important for this Bella.  
_

_Will you leave a review and tell me what you thought of the story as a whole since it is over?  
_


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